Furkan Doğan was born in New York on 20 October 1991. He was a senior student at Kayseri Private Hisarcıklıoğlu High-school. He applied to take part in the Gaza flotilla from the city of Kayseri. He was shot to death at the age of 19 by Israeli soldiers while on the Mavi Marmara boat that was carrying civilians on the humanitarian aid flotilla. He was shot from 1.5 meter distance four times in the face and once in the chest.   

He had set out on this journey at an early age to sacrifice his existence for the sake of charity. “We have no regret nor if only. Our child was martyred for the sake of the good. And I am a father of a martyr now. His martyrdom will lead to good things,” says his father in reaction to Furkan’s death. 

His elder brother Mustafa Doğan said, during the funeral in Istanbul, “We were predicting Israel would capture or turn back the ships and the passengers, but not such an inhumane attack. My brother was martyred for Palestinians. We are prepared to lay down our lives for them. Furkan is now in Istanbul; he is praying with martyrs who joined the conquest of Istanbul.”  

During the moments the Israeli soldiers were attacking the Mavi Marmara ship that was carrying humanitarian aid to embargoed people of Palestine, Furkan was writing these words on a piece of paper: “Last hours before martyrdom. Is there anything sweeter? If there is, that is only my mother. But I am not sure about that either. It is hard to compare the two. Martyrdom or my mother? The hall is empty now. An atmosphere of solemnity has taken over everyone for the first time…”

Israel targeted 19-year-old Furkan, an innocent child, who had no weapon but a pen and a piece of paper…