Turkey pays final respects to murdered Gaza peace activists

Thousands of people gathered in each of the provinces where victims were laid to rest on Thursday and Friday, carrying Turkish and Palestinian flags, chanting slogans protesting Israel and its bloody attack and exclaiming, “God is great.” Among the slain activists was Furkan Doğan, a 19-year-old Turkish-American who settled in the central Anatolian province of Kayseri a couple of years ago after returning to Turkey from the US with his family.

His coffin, brought to his home in Kayseri for burial yesterday, was draped with Turkish and Palestinian flags. Doğan’s father and grandfather accepted condolences in a tent set up in front of the family home. Photos of Doğan and Turkish flags hung from the walls of other homes on the street.

The funeral prayer held for Doğan was attended by thousands of people, including deputies, mayors, politicians and members of the press. Thousands chanted slogans in protest of Israel following the prayer. Mourners carried Doğan’s coffin on their shoulders the enter 2 kilometers to the cemetery where he was buried. Placards held by mourners included messages like “Israel, the bullets that you fired at Furkan are in my heart. I did not die,” “Our honor, our martyr” and “Furkan, don’t worry, our prayers are with you.”

Another slain Gaza activist, 54-year-old Çetin Topçuoğlu, was brought to the southern province of Adana for burial. Adana Deputy Governor İbrahim Avcı and other Gaza peace activists met the coffin at the local airport, where a ceremony was held to honor Topçuoğlu. Speaking at the ceremony, Humanitarian Aid Foundation (İHH) member Ahmet Kurt said the activists had sailed to break the Israeli embargo and to free the people of Gaza from their prison. Topçuoğlu’s wife, Çiğdem, who was also part of the flotilla, said she was proud of the prime minister and the nation for their support them. “I will take part in the flotillas heading to Gaza from now on with my son,” she said.

Thousands of people gathered in each province where the nine victims were laid to rest on Thursday and Friday, carrying Turkish and Palestinian flags, chanting slogans to protest Israel.

Topçuoğlu was buried following a funeral prayer joined by thousands, including Topçuoğlu’s family, Adana Governor İlhan Atış, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Adana deputy Vahit Kirişçi and several other state officials. Thousands carrying Turkish and Palestinian flags chanted slogans in protest of Israel before the prayer.

People also showed up in the thousands at Adıyaman Airport yesterday to await the arrival of the coffin carrying murdered 43-year-old activist Fahri Yaldız. Many people shed tears as they hugged other activists who were aboard the Mavi Marmara when the deadly attack took place. Yaldız’s relatives were visibly distraught, with some of them rushed to Adıyaman State Hospital after their condition worsened due to the stress of the incident. The victim’s body was taken to his house followed by a long convoy of vehicles. He was later laid to rest following a funeral prayer attended by thousands. Some of those in attendance at the funeral said the eastern province had never before seen such a large crowd.

The body of another activist that fell victim to Israel’s commandos, 39-year-old Ali Haydar, 39, was taken to his hometown in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır yesterday. Hundreds turned out to show their respect and accompanied the ambulance that was carrying his body to the morgue where his remains were kept until the funeral prayer. Bengi was laid to rest following funeral prayers at a Diyarbakır mosque in the afternoon.

The body of slain activist İbrahim Bilgen, 61, arrived at his home in the southeastern province of Siirt after midnight yesterday. Thousands of Siirt residents, including Siirt Governor Musa Çolak and the AK Party Siirt deputies Afif Demirkıran and Yılmaz Helvacıoğlu, welcomed the hearse on the highway and stayed awake until the funeral prayer. Bilge was buried following a funeral prayer in the afternoon.

İzmir received the body 47-year-old peace activist Cengiz Songür and five survivors from the flotilla on Thursday evening. The group was welcomed by a large crowd that chanted slogans including “Murderer Israel will account for this” and, “The ship of freedom will drill the embargo.” Many shed tears as Songür’s daughters read aloud letters they had written for their father.

Murdered peace activist Cengiz Akyüz, 41, was brought to his hometown in the southern province of Hatay to be laid to rest. Thousands welcomed him at the Hatay Airport. A long convoy of cars accompanied the car taking Akyüz’s body to the mosque in the İskenderun district, where a funeral prayer was held. The crowd of mourners spilled out of the mosque complex into the street; participants included AK Party deputy Orhan Karasayar and mayors. Akyüz was buried rest in İskenderun’s Bekbele following the prayer.

Another funeral ceremony was held in İstanbul for slain activist Cevdet Kılıçlar, 38, who was the İHH’s online editor. Thousands gathered at Beyazıt Square to protest Israel. Kılıçlar was buried following a funeral prayer at Beyazıt Mosque.

The ninth victim, Necdet Yıldırım, 32, was laid to rest in İstanbul on Thursday. Thousands attended his funeral prayer.