The press conference took place at Istanbul’s Eminönü Square, where IHH has been holding its “We’re on Watch” vigil for days, 24 hours a day. Civil society representatives and the public attended the event. Speaking at the press conference, US activist Ann Wright, a member of the International Freedom Flotilla Coalition Steering Committee, stated: “They (Conscience and Thousand Madleen) are following in the footsteps of Sumud, Hanzala, and Madleen. These will not be the last ships trying to break the blockade. Next month, we will have even more ships setting sail. We will continue to sail until Gaza and all of Palestine are free.”
“Humanitarian aid to Gaza is left to Israel’s mercy”
Following Wright’s remarks, İsmail Songür — President of the Mavi Marmara Association and FFC’s Türkiye Representative — said: “Our Freedom Flotilla consisted of 11 ships. Two of them had to dock on the island of Crete due to technical problems. Israel threatened us through various channels. As if they hadn’t killed babies and children themselves… But we know very well: we are not baby killers. We have not condemned an entire nation to starvation. On the contrary, we risked our lives and property to end this unlawful blockade. There has never been a Muslim land so central to the world yet so unreachable. We have seen countless blockades in Chechnya, Kashmir, Moro, Syria, and Iraq — but we were still able to deliver aid to them somehow. In Gaza, however, all humanitarian aid is left to Israel’s mercy.”
“Gaza has turned into a genocide camp”
Songür noted that even prisoners have rights under international law: “Gaza is no longer an open-air prison; it has turned into a genocide camp. As civil society organizations, we have made 18 different attempts since 2008. In 2008, the blockade was broken for the first time — four ships left Cyprus and reached Gaza to evacuate patients. Since 2008, no one has managed to reach Gaza again. In 2010, they attacked the Mavi Marmara, killing our friends and brothers. In 2024, they attacked the Conscience Ship. Then we launched the Madleen. We did not stop — after that came the Hanzala…”
“People in Gaza are dying because of the lack of basic medicine”
Re-emphasizing that all states must impose serious sanctions against Israel, Songür continued: “When governments don’t act, this responsibility falls to civilians. Either you take action, or give us space to act. Protect our ships. While our brothers and sisters are dying of hunger there, we are trying to deliver aid to them. Global balances and political conditions are meaningless in the face of genocide. This attack has once again showed Israel’s piracy and barbarism to the world. The best doctors in the world were on the Conscience Ship (wanting to reach Gaza) — because there are no doctors left in Gaza. People in Gaza are dying right now because there are no basic medicines available. Due to the internet blockade, it’s even hard to get information from there,” he said.
Songür also noted the difficulty of getting information about the activists detained by Israel, saying: “We have not been able to hear anything from our friends on the smaller boats.”
“While peace talks are being held, children are the targets of bombs”
IHH Secretary-General Ahmet Göksun said: “These ships are shouting that ‘Gaza is not unreachable.’ Other ships have reached there before. We are not talking about another planet. This is happening right here on Earth, right beside us. We must do whatever we can because we will be held into account on the Day of Judgement. People around the world are standing up. We are not leaving the squares empty. We call on all governments: what more do you expect civilians to do? Take action — your societies are waiting. We stand with you. Do whatever needs to be done against Israel. While peace talks are being held in conference halls, children in Gaza are being targeted by bombs.”
“If we learn to act together, we will succeed”
Activist Şuayb Ordu, who was aboard the Madleen Ship and the Sumud Flotilla, said: “We had a dream of launching a large flotilla, and we succeeded. Our next dream is to lift the blockade — and, God willing, we will succeed in doing that too. Israel pretends to be powerful, but its strength is exaggerated tenfold. They have built an empire of fear, but they are fragile and easily scattered. If we learn to unite and act together for our shared cause, I believe we will succeed. I believe we will meet one day in a Palestine that is free from oppression.”
Sumud Flotilla activist Sümeyra Akdeniz Ordu added: “Let’s continue to stand united. Let’s not take our eyes off Gaza.”
“My father was taken prisoner on the Conscience”
Yasin Baygın, the son of Burak Baygın — one of the activists detained by Israel in yesterday’s attack on the Conscience — said: “My father is currently being held captive on the Conscience. I ask you to bring attention to this and make it known to the world. This is a duty upon all of us.”
Protest to be held in front of the Israeli Consulate at 9 p.m.
The press conference concluded after the speeches. The “We’re on Watch” vigil in Eminönü continues. It was also announced that a protest will be held in front of the Israeli Consulate in Levent at 9 p.m. tonight.
