Torchlight march for Palestine held in Istanbul

ISTANBUL, TÜRKİYE - MAY 18, 2024: The Human Rights and Freedoms (IHH) Humanitarian Relief Foundation organized a march in Istanbul, Türkiye under the slogan "We walk with torches for the end of the occupation and the freedom of Palestine.”The crowd gathered in front of Hagia Sophia Mosque and began their march towards Eminonu Square, holding torches.French activist and international law professor Frank Romano, who participated in the march, said, "I never lost hope that the flotilla would set sail. We will set out. I haven't lost hope because we see the massacres and the Palestinians' resistance. Rest assured, the Palestinian people know that you are with them."Israel continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the enclave.Nearly 35,400 Palestinians have since been killed, the vast majority of whom have been women and children, and over 79,300 others injured since last October following a Hamas attack.More than seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.Israel is accused of “genocide” at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.(Footage by Arif Murat Kayacan /Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)