Palestinian Solidarity Convoy Arrives in Istanbul after Journey from Bosnia

A multinational activist convoy titled the "Filistin Konvoyu" set out on 25 July from Srebrenica in Bosnia‑Herzegovina, symbolically referencing the 1995 massacre. Organisers said roughly 60–600 participants from more than 20 countries joined the convoy, which travelled through Sarajevo, Tirana, Thessaloniki, Istanbul and other cities before reaching Istanbul.

In Istanbul the convoy was greeted at Başakşehir Central Mosque Square by supporters waving Turkish and Palestinian flags. Leaders such as Hüseyin Durmaz, a doctor‑activist who previously served on the Global Sumud Fleet, and Hakan Şimşek, a board member of the convoy, spoke of the journey as a protest against the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict, urging the opening of border crossings for humanitarian aid to Gaza and the West Bank. Turkish activist Hasan Şengül, who left his family in Karasu to join the land route, emphasized the non‑violent, civilian nature of the mission and its goal of drawing international attention to the situation in Palestine.

The convoy’s statements linked the historic suffering of Srebrenica with current Palestinian hardships, calling for greater international pressure on Israel and describing the effort as more than a simple aid delivery.