Gaza commemorates third anniversary of Freedom Flotilla incident

Palestinian and Turkish citizens participated in a rally on Friday to commemorate the third anniversary of Israel’s deadly attack on Freedom Flotilla aid convoy in international waters off the coast of Gaza.

May 31 marks the third anniversary of the Mavi Marmara incident, an Israeli military raid on a Turkish-led aid flotilla to Gaza that resulted in the death of nine Turkish activists who were aboard Mavi Marmara ship.

Palestinian and Turkish national figures and activists as well as an Egyptian delegation attended the event that was staged at the Fishermen port in Gaza by the Turkish relief group IHH and the Palestinian interior ministry.

Deputy minister of the interior ministry Ghazi Hamad said in a speech during the rally that the blockade on Gaza is no longer a Palestinian issue, but it has become a matter of concern to the Arab and Muslim worlds.

Hamad also hailed the Turkish role in supporting Gaza people and their resistance.

For his part, Mohamed Kaya, director of IHH, stated that his organization, which organized the Freedom Flotilla convoy three years ago, would uphold its position in support of the Palestinian cause and continue its relief efforts until the liberation of Palestine.

Senior Islamic Jihad official Mohamed Al-Hendi, in turn, said in a speech on behalf of the Palestinian resistance factions in Gaza that the incident of the Freedom Flotilla convoy would be a reminder for the Palestinians that they are not alone and that Palestine and its holy sites belong to the whole Muslim nation.

Hendi described the Freedom Flotilla martyrs as historic icons that cannot be forgotten by the Palestinian people.

The participants in the rally carried photos of the Freedom Flotilla martyrs and banners in Arabic and Turkish asserting that they would always be in the Palestinian memory.

Palestinian children also threw roses in the sea waters in honor of the Turkish martyrs.