In a powerful display of solidarity, over 520,000 people took to the streets of Istanbul on New Year’s Day to protest against Israeli attacks on Gaza and demand justice for the Palestinian people. Despite the freezing temperatures, the massive crowd marched through the streets, with thousands of people gathering at various mosques, including the historic Ayasofya Mosque, to begin their march towards the Galata Bridge.
The protest, titled “We Won’t Forget, We Won’t Be Silenced, We Won’t Forget Palestine,” was organized by the TÜGVA (Turkish Youth and Education Foundation) and backed by over 400 civil society organizations, trade unions, social platforms, and sports clubs. The event saw a high-profile attendance, with leaders from the opposition party, AKP, including Istanbul’s Mayor, Abdullah Ozturk, and several parliamentarians, participating in the march.
The protest began with the Fajr prayer at various mosques, followed by a march towards the Galata Bridge, where the protesters formed a human chain, waving Turkish and Palestinian flags, and chanting slogans in support of the Palestinian people. The event was attended by Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister, Bilal Erdovan, who addressed the crowd, calling the situation in Gaza a “humanitarian crisis” and a “testament to the moral bankruptcy of the international system.”
Erdovan condemned Israel for its actions, saying that the Israeli government was engaged in “a deliberate and systematic genocide” of the Palestinian people, with women, children, and the elderly being targeted. He also called for international action to stop the Israeli aggression and for the international community to hold Israel accountable for its actions.
The protest was met with international condemnation of Israel’s actions, with the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, expressing concern over Israel’s decision to expand its military operations in Gaza. The Iranian Ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, also condemned US President Donald Trump’s statements on the issue, calling them “unlawful and inflammatory.”
In other news, the UAE’s Ministry of Defense announced that it had ended its military operation against Houthi militants in Yemen, and the South Korean President, Lee Jae-myung, expressed his willingness to facilitate negotiations between the US and North Korea.
In business news, Dubai’s real estate market saw a surge in sales in 2025, with a 30.6% increase in real estate loans compared to 2024. A driver in Dubai was fined 10,000 dirhams for performing stunts on the road.
In education news, the police in the Indian state of Kerala seized over 1 million fake degree certificates from 22 universities. In a joint statement, foreign ministers from Muslim countries called for the reconstruction of Gaza’s infrastructure and the opening of the Rafah crossing.
In a surprise move, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, announced that he would be contributing to the Republican Party’s finances ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. In Iran, protests against the government’s economic policies and currency devaluation continued for a fifth day, with the situation escalating.
In weather news, the UK’s Met Office issued amber and yellow warnings for snow and ice, while the UK Foreign Secretary emphasized the need for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the issues.
