Absentia funeral prayers were prayed in many mosques around Turkey for those who were killed over the last week in Gaza by Israeli air strikes.
The Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (IHH), Özgür-Der and numerous civil society organization members were amongst the thousands of protestors who protested against Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
İSTANBUL
Thousands of people gathered in the courtyard of Fatih mosque after the Friday prayer chanting slogans such as "A Muslim wont bow down to persecution", "Greetings to Hamas, continue the resistance," "Murderer Israel, get out of the Middle East.”
The crowed then started walking towards to Sarachane Park carrying banners that read "Gaza will be the graveyard to Zionist murderers! Long live the Palestinian Islamic Resistance" and "A Muslim wont bow down to persecution.”
The marching crowed repeatedly chanted Takbir’s, slogans and made the ‘Rabia’ sign. They also held signs which read "Zionism will be defeated”, "Gaza we are with you" and "Murderers are competing in savagery."
Once the cortege that was chanting slogans and Takbir’s reached Sarachane Park, they took their place to perform an absentia funeral prayer for the martyrs of the Islamic world. After Beşir Eryarsoy led the prayer, he made a speech with Abdurrahman Dilipak, a columnist for Yeni Akit Newspaper.
In his speech he spoke about Israel's attacks. Dilipak, condemned the Islamic world for their passivity. He also mentioned that the aim of what’s been happening in Gaza is to get its people to be deported to Jordan and that the Zionists are aiming to dominate the Sinai peninsula. Dilipak pinpointed that justice cannot be achieved through bloodshed. 20 Israeli children and thousands of Palestinian children lost their lives. As a result he noted that no child deserves to die.
After Dilipak’s speech, Cemal Çınar made a group supplication with the crowd.
TRABZON
In Trabzon, a group of civil society organizations and members gathered together after the Friday prayer and protested the Israeli air strikes on Gaza.
After the Friday prayer in Trabzon, a group of Trabzon’s civil society organizations came together in İskenderpaşa mosque which is located in Ataturk Alani. Together they cursed Israel and held banners which read “The future is Islam,” and “History will not be witten by people who submit to authority, but instead it will be written though faith and resistance.”
DİYARBAKIR
İHH, Memur-Sen and Özgür-Der were amongst the 72 civil society organization members, who protested Israel’s attacks on Palestine in Ulu mosque which is located in the Sur district after Friday prayer.
KÜTAHYA
Funeral prayers in absentia were prayed in Kutahya for Palestinians who were martyred after Israel bombed Palestine’s Gaza strip.
Karagoz Ahmet Pasa’s retired imam Tevfik Kaya, led the Funeral prayer in absentia which was organised jointly by various civil society organizations.
After the Funeral prayer in absentia which thousands of people attended, Tevfik Kaya made a collective supplication.
ELAZIĞ
In Elazig, a funeral prayer in absentia was prayed after Friday prayer for those who were killed in Gaza.
Like many other regions in Turkey, Elazig also prayed a funeral prayer in absentia for those who were killed in Gaza by Isreali attacks. At Izzet Pasa mosque they prayed the Friday prayer then prayed a funeral prayer in absentia followed by supplications.
ANTALYA
In Antalya they prayed a funeral prayer in absentia for those who were killed in Gaza by the bombings of Israel. After the Friday prayer the crowed stayed back at Muratpasa mosque which is located in the city center, to perform a funeral prayer in absentia for Gazans who were killed in Israeli bombings.
KASTAMONU
Israeli attacks in Gaza were protested in Kastamonu. After praying the Friday prayer in Nasrullah mosque, many members of various civil society organizations gathered together carrying banners which read “Down with Israel” and chanted slogans against Israel. In the press release IHH President of Kastamonu Mujahid Dağdelenoğlu, said that the people of Gaza are forced to have their iftar and sahoor under Israeli fire. After the press release he made a prayer for those who were killed.
