Politics
Türkiye warns Israel-YPG co-op may harm Damascus deal
In a previously unannounced visit, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Director Ibrahim Kalın arrived in Damascus on Monday. They met Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and other high-ranking Syrian officials.
Speaking at a joint news conference with his Syrian counterpart Asaad al-Shaibani, Hakan Fidan touched upon the issue of the integration of the U.S.-backed terrorist group YPG into the Syrian army. He said the integration should be carried out as soon as possible, saying that the delay was an obstacle to Syria’s unity. Al-Shaibani, for his part, said they were still waiting on the YPG’s answer to an earlier deal, adding: “Unfortunately, the YPG did not demonstrate any will for integration.”
Fidan noted that the YPG has been “coordinating with Israel for certain activities” and said this cooperation was the biggest obstacle in the YPG’s talks with Damascus. Israel pursued a warm approach toward the YPG, especially after the fall of the Baathist regime, while Tel Aviv also sought to expand its aggression to the new Syria.
The meetings are expected to comprehensively assess the trajectory of Türkiye-Syria relations over the past year across political, economic and security dimensions, following the first anniversary of the overthrow of the Bashar Assad regime.
Discussions of Turkish and Syrian officials also focused on the progress of the implementation of the March 10 agreement, which is closely linked to Türkiye’s national security priorities. Turkish media outlets have reported earlier that Damascus gave a deadline by the end of this year to the YPG, the Syrian wing of the PKK, to honor the deal. The agreement involves the integration of the group into the new Syrian army.
The interim Syrian government has sent a proposal to the YPG, the PKK terrorist group’s Syrian offshoot that controls the country’s northeast, according to five of the sources.
In it, Damascus expressed openness to the YPG reorganizing its roughly 50,000 members into three main divisions and smaller brigades as long as it cedes some chains of command and opens its territory to other Syrian army units, according to one Syrian, one Western and three YPG officials.
Since a major round of talks in the summer between the sides failed to produce results, frictions have mounted, including frequent skirmishes along several front lines across the north.
The YPG took control of much of northeast Syria, where most of the nation’s oil and wheat production is, in 2019. A Syrian official told Reuters last week the year-end deadline for integration is firm and only “irreversible steps” by the YPG could bring an extension.
Fidan said last Thursday that it does not want to resort to military means but warned that patience with the YPG is “running out.” YPG officials have downplayed the deadline and said they are committed to talks toward a just integration.
The U.S.-backed group has been behind a spate of attacks targeting Türkiye during Syria’s civil war. During the same war, the Turkish army launched cross-border offensives in Syria to drive out the YPG from its borders and help the Syrian opposition to liberate YPG-held towns.
The visit by the Turkish delegation is also expected to address emerging security risks in southern Syria stemming from Israel’s aggressive actions.
In the context of the shared interests of Türkiye and Syria, as well as Syria’s recent accession to the International Coalition to Defeat Daesh (ICDC), cooperation aimed at preventing the resurgence of the Daesh terrorist group, which seeks to exploit potential fragilities on the Syrian ground, will also be discussed.
In addition to security issues, which will constitute the main focus of the talks, the agenda includes a review of bilateral projects being carried out for Syria’s reconstruction and an evaluation of efforts to support the Syrian government’s capacity-building initiatives.
Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yılmaz, who has been appointed as Türkiye’s ambassador to Damascus, also traveled to the Syrian capital.
In the one year since the collapse of the Assad regime, Türkiye-Syria relations have gained momentum across many areas, with historic opportunities for bilateral and regional cooperation emerging, particularly in the fields of security and the economy.
While supporting efforts to heal the wounds left by the nearly 15-year Syrian conflict, Türkiye is also working to ensure that new cooperation opportunities are harnessed in a way that serves Syria’s stability and security in line with the interests of both countries.
In this context, Fidan paid his first visit to Syria following the fall of the Assad regime on Dec. 22, 2024.
In the period that followed, as a natural outcome of the positive atmosphere that has emerged in Syria’s new era, reciprocal high-level visits between Türkiye and Syria have continued.
Within this framework, meetings held in the 3+3 format between the two countries have taken on particular significance.
Accordingly, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani visited Türkiye on Jan. 15, accompanied by a high-level delegation. During the visit, Fidan, Güler and Kalın met with their Syrian counterparts.
Following that meeting, the Turkish foreign minister, national defense minister and intelligence chief paid a working visit to Syria on March 13.
Another meeting focusing on security cooperation and current developments between the two countries was held in Ankara on Oct. 12, with the participation of Fidan, Güler, Kalın and their Syrian counterparts.
Politics
Turkish official reaffirms support for Moldova’s integrity, Gagauzia
Türkiye and Moldova are seeking to deepen bilateral cooperation while supporting the economic, social and cultural development of the autonomous Gagauzia region, a senior official from Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) said during talks with Moldovan leaders on
Kürşad Zorlu, AK Party deputy chair responsible for relations with Turkic states, met Moldovan President Maia Sandu during a visit to the capital Chisinau, where he said relations between the two countries continued to expand.
Zorlu said Türkiye was closely following developments in Gagauzia and would continue contributing to efforts aimed at supporting the region’s economic and social development, preserving its cultural heritage and strengthening its ties with Moldova.
He also invited Sandu to attend the COP31 U.N. climate summit, which Türkiye is set to host in November.
Sandu said Moldova attached significant importance to its relations with Türkiye and welcomed Ankara’s growing international role. She said Gagauzia’s constitutional rights and autonomous status would be protected and expressed readiness for high-level cooperation with Türkiye on the region.
Sandu also said she looked forward to opening a vocational high school built by Türkiye together with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Zorlu separately met Moldovan Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu, with talks focusing on Türkiye’s regional role, the Russia-Ukraine war and Moldova’s territorial integrity.
Despite wars and major upheavals in its neighborhood, Türkiye has continued to strengthen its position while seeking to contribute to peace and stability through mediation efforts, Zorlu noted.
Addressing the war in Ukraine, Zorlu said Türkiye maintained relations with Russia while pursuing a policy aimed at ending the war and supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
“In this context, Moldova’s territorial integrity is undoubtedly also very important to us,” he stressed.
Zorlu also held talks with Prime Minister Vasile Tofan, saying Türkiye-Moldova relations were developing rapidly on the basis of mutual trust, friendship and shared interests.
He reiterated Ankara’s support for Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and highlighted growing economic ties. Bilateral trade has reached the countries’ $1 billion target, Zorlu said, adding that the two sides hoped to set a new goal and further expand economic relations.
Gagauzia, an autonomous region in southern Moldova populated predominantly by the Gagauz, a Turkic-speaking Orthodox Christian people, has long served as an important dimension of Türkiye-Moldova relations.
Zorlu said Türkiye could pursue joint investments in Gagauzia alongside initiatives supporting the Gagauz language and culture, stressing that the region’s prosperity could not be separated from Moldova’s broader stability.
Tofan thanked Türkiye for its projects and support in Moldova and described Gagauzia as an important bridge between the two countries.
Zorlu later met Foreign Ministry State Secretary Carolina Perebinos for talks on future cooperation, reiterating Türkiye’s support for Moldova’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He said Moldova’s stability and prosperity were important for broader regional peace and security.
Following his meetings in Chisinau, Zorlu traveled with his delegation to Comrat, the capital of Gagauzia, for further talks and visits.
In December 1994, Moldova’s Parliament offered some 160,000 Turkic Gagauz people within its borders a large degree of autonomy in order to create a favorable environment for maintaining a national identity and culture.
In 2020, Türkiye opened a consulate in Comrat, the capital of Moldova’s Gagauzia, becoming the first country ever to do so in the territory.
Politics
US seeks Israel-Türkiye deconfliction mechanism after Israeli strike
The U.S. is seeking to establish a military coordination mechanism involving Türkiye, Syria and Israel to reduce the risk of further escalation, Washington’s Syria envoy Tom Barrack said Tuesday following an Israeli strike on a Syrian air base near the Turkish border.
Barrack, who is also U.S. ambassador to Türkiye, said Türkiye had not been warned about the Israeli strikes, “and consequently observed the aircraft heading north toward its territory and therefore could have reasonably prepared its own response,” referring to possible Turkish military reaction.
“Thankfully, calm heads were able to prevent the situation from deteriorating further,” Barrack told Reuters in a phone interview.
Türkiye condemned Israeli strikes on the Abu al-Dahur airbase in northwestern Syria but did not comment further, including about a potential deconfliction mechanism.
A deconfliction mechanism is a communications channel intended to prevent misunderstandings or accidental confrontations between military or political actors.
Tensions have grown between Israel and Türkiye, both of which border Syria, amid Israel’s expansionist and aggressive policies that violate international law.
Türkiye, which has NATO’s second-largest army and signed a mutual defense pact this month with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, has become one of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s main allies.
Ankara has been training Syria’s army, helping it rebuild state institutions and infrastructure and providing military and diplomatic support.
Israel’s strikes on the Syrian airbase “reflected a perception – whether accurate or misplaced – that Türkiye might in the near future increase its presence at that base,” Barrack said.
“This underscores the need for a deconfliction mechanism involving Israel, Syria and Türkiye. That is something we are actively working on to establish in order to prevent future miscommunication,” he said. “The priority now is to lower tensions and allow space for a more measured approach.”
The airbase, about 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) east of the Turkish border, has been out of service as a dedicated military airfield since 2013 and changed hands several times during Syria’s 14-year civil war between forces loyal to former regime leader Bashar Assad and opposition factions.
Syria’s state-run Ekhbariya television, citing a military source, said on Tuesday that Israel carried out eight airstrikes on the base’s runway and storage facilities. A separate military source and a civilian who lives near the base said there were no casualties.
The Israeli military declined to comment on the strikes.
Israel has for years struck targets in Syria to curb what it says is Iranian influence and to prevent weapons from reaching Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Since Assad’s overthrow in 2024, it has also viewed Syria’s new rulers with suspicion and continued military attacks in the country, most recently attacking government sites in southern and central Syria in March.
Syria and Israel have held several rounds of de-escalation and border discussions since anti-regime forces under Syrian President al-Sharaa’s command toppled Assad, but no agreement has been reached.
“An incident of the kind that occurred this morning demonstrates the need to intensify these efforts and expand the process,” Barrack said.
The envoy said the U.S. already facilitates an information-sharing and dialogue mechanism among the parties.
“What is required is a more robust architecture with greater resources committed to it. Investing in such mechanisms is far less costly than relying on kinetic means of communication that can run into the hundreds of millions of dollars,” he said, referring to military force.
Politics
Türkiye condemns Israeli strike on Syria’s Abu al-Duhur air base
Türkiye on Tuesday strongly condemned Israeli airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur Military Air Base in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province, warning that Israel’s escalating attacks are undermining the country’s territorial integrity and stability.
In a statement issued Aug. 18, the Foreign Ministry said Israeli forces carried out airstrikes on the military facility, located in the Idlib countryside, in the early hours of Tuesday.
“We strongly condemn the airstrikes carried out by Israel early this morning against the Abu al-Duhur Military Air Base in the countryside of Syria’s Idlib,” the ministry said.
The ministry criticized Israel for “recklessly” continuing attacks targeting Syria’s infrastructure and capabilities while violating the country’s territorial integrity and unity.
Ankara also urged the international community to take a firmer stance against Israel’s increasingly aggressive actions in Syria.
“We call on the international community to adopt a more resolute position to put an end to Israel’s aggression against Syria, which is taking on a new dimension with each passing day, and to ensure accountability for these actions that disregard international law,” the ministry said.
The statement comes amid heightened tensions over Israeli violations in Syria, with Türkiye repeatedly stressing the need to preserve Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and political unity.
Meanwhile, Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran strongly condemned the Israeli airstrike on the Abu al-Duhur Military Air Base.
“These attacks targeting Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and infrastructure are a continuation of a reckless policy of aggression that threatens regional peace and stability,” Duran said.
He said that Türkiye, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, would continue to support Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and oppose any attempt that threatens peace and stability in the region.
Politics
Netanyahu turns on Türkiye as election pressure mounts, experts say
Israel’s recent strikes on a military base in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province and the use of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s image in an election poster by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party bearing the slogan “They want Netanyahu to lose” are seen by experts as signs of the growing political and strategic pressure Netanyahu is facing.
“The circumstantial aspect of the issue is that, as Israel heads into an election period, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s main concern is finding a new political target,” Gökhan Çınkara, an associate professor at Necmettin Erbakan University and director of the Global and Regional Studies Center, told Daily Sabah.
“This was already evident in the campaign poster he used for the election,” he said, adding that the decline in support for Netanyahu’s Likud party could be seen as another indication of the pressure he faces.
As Israel’s Oct. 27 elections approach, political parties have stepped up their campaigning.
A new election poster displayed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party on a billboard in Tel Aviv features images of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan alongside Iranian leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
“They want Netanyahu to lose. Don’t let them win,” as seen in the poster.
The campaign comes amid an increase in rhetoric targeting Türkiye and President Erdoğan by Israeli politicians ahead of the Oct. 27 vote.
Çınkara also remarked that Netanyahu’s political predicament and lack of a clear policy agenda has led him to target figures such as New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in an effort to consolidate his electoral base.
Alongside Netanyahu’s campaign move involving Erdoğan, diplomatic pressure on Tel Aviv is also mounting over the war in Gaza. On Tuesday, Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and special envoy, met Netanyahu to discuss efforts toward a cease-fire in Gaza.
The talks, which lasted about four hours, focused on obstacles to a cease-fire and arrangements for the postwar period. According to U.S. media reports, Kushner urged Netanyahu not to obstruct efforts to reach a cease-fire agreement.
Ufuk Necat Taşçı, assistant professor of International Relations at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University also noted that Israel entered the conflict with Iran on the basis of flawed intelligence assessments, while largely failing to achieve its main objectives.
He pointed to factors including Gadi Eisenkot’s growing political prominence and internal divisions within Netanyahu’s Likud party as signs of mounting domestic pressure.
As Kushner met Netanyahu, Trump also made remarks on Gaza, pointing to Hamas’ decision to lay down its arms.
“Israel should stop bombing Gaza,” Trump said.
Trump also stated it would not be appropriate for him to become directly involved in Israel’s Oct. 27 elections, though he said he could endorse a candidate.
Furthermore, Merve Suna Özel Özcan, associate professor and the vice chair of the International Relations Department at Kırıkkale University, said anti-Türkiye rhetoric is increasingly being used as a tool for electoral mobilization in Israel, with President Erdoğan portrayed not only as a regional rival but also as an external threat that could help Netanyahu rally support and bolster his political position.
She noted that portraying Türkiye as a potential security threat is not a new development in Israel, pointing to the Nagel Committee report, which had previously raised concerns over Ankara’s growing regional influence, particularly in Syria.
“Against this backdrop, Erdoğan’s appearance in Israeli election propaganda and the targeting of potential Turkish military capabilities in Syria should not be viewed as developments that emerged overnight,” the expert said. “Rather, they are the political and military manifestations of a threat narrative that has been developing for some time.”
Recently, Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper known for its criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, published an analysis arguing that Netanyahu has portrayed Türkiye as a major threat in an apparent effort to gain an electoral advantage while also examining Ankara’s bid to acquire F-35 fighter jets from the United States.
The analysis recalled that President Erdoğan and U.S. President Trump projected a warm rapport during the NATO summit in Ankara and that Washington signaled openness to a potential F-35 sale to Türkiye. It said those developments have been met with growing concern within both the Israeli government and the Israeli public, stating: “The election is approaching, and the ‘Mr. Security’ campaign has begun. In a calculated move, Benjamin Netanyahu last week launched a blitz of interviews, phone calls and statements in an attempt to block the sale of F-35 jets to Türkiye.”
Özcan offered that the changing regional environment following the Mecca Agreement should also be taken into consideration, while cautioning against portraying the agreement as an anti-Israel alliance.
All three countries support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the 1967 borders, the expert noted.
“From Israel’s perspective, therefore, the issue is not simply the emergence of another military mechanism, but the possibility that regional powers are beginning to build their own security and stability architecture,” she emphasized.
In an interview with the UAE-based The National, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan last month discussed tensions between Türkiye and Israel, as well as the Israeli government’s regional policies.
Fidan said there was no reason for a direct confrontation between Türkiye and Israel, arguing that Netanyahu has increasingly resorted to hostile rhetoric as he seeks a new political adversary ahead of the country’s upcoming elections.
Aylin Ünver Noi, professor of International Relations and Vice Rector of Beykoz University, indicated that “This should be viewed as an attempt to group together figures who oppose Israel’s regional policies, particularly its policies toward Hamas and the Palestinians.”
Whether the strategy will prove effective remains uncertain, she said, but the choice of figures featured in the campaign is significant because they have been associated with opposition to Israeli policies on the Palestinian issue.
“Türkiye and, in this context, the New York mayor should also be assessed from this perspective,” the expert added.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said last month that the city cannot enforce the international arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but called on the federal government to act.
In the video, Mamdani described the Israeli prime minister as a “war criminal” and said he is not welcome in New York City.
“It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant,” he said in a video posted on X. “The federal government, however, does and I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant,” he added, referring to the International Criminal Court.
Noi also described Türkiye’s broader foreign policy as focused on promoting regional and international stability and peace, pointing to Ankara’s diplomatic engagement in several conflict zones stretching from the Balkans and the South Caucasus to conflicts in Africa.
Israel, aggression in Syria
Israel has been carrying out incursions into Syrian territory since the December 2024 since the overthrow of the ousted Bashar Assad regime, including sending troops into a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone that separated Israeli and Syrian forces in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights since 1974.
Israel, on Tuesday, carried out airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur Military Air Base in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province, drawing attention from both Türkiye and regional countries.
Özcan stated that Israel’s latest strike in Syria should also be assessed within this broader context, arguing that the targeting of Abu al-Duhur Air Base could reflect Israeli concerns over Türkiye’s potential future military capabilities in the country.
“Although the base has remained largely inactive for some time, its potential future use by Türkiye suggests that Israel is concerned not only about existing threats but also about capabilities that could emerge in the future,” she said.
In a statement issued Aug. 18, the Foreign Ministry of Türkiye condemned the Israeli forces that carried out airstrikes on the military facility, located in the Idlib countryside, in the early hours of Tuesday.
“We strongly condemn the airstrikes carried out by Israel early this morning against the Abu al-Duhur Military Air Base in the countryside of Syria’s Idlib,” the ministry said.
The ministry criticized Israel for “recklessly” continuing attacks targeting Syria’s infrastructure and capabilities while violating the country’s territorial integrity and unity.
Ankara also urged the international community to take a firmer stance against Israel’s increasingly aggressive actions in Syria.
Çınkara also added that another key issue for Israel since the Oct. 7 attacks has been how to restore its eroded deterrence.
“Against this backdrop, Israel tends to perceive virtually any military activity in the region as a potential threat,” he underlined. “This has become one of the main factors driving Israel’s increasingly aggressive military posture in places such as Lebanon and Syria.”
Meanwhile, Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran also strongly condemned the Israeli airstrike on the Abu al-Duhur Military Air Base.
“These attacks targeting Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and infrastructure are a continuation of a reckless policy of aggression that threatens regional peace and stability,” Duran noted.
He said that Türkiye, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, would continue to support Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and oppose any attempt that threatens peace and stability in the region.
“Israel does not want a strong, unitary state on its border because it perceives such a state as a potential security threat,” Noi argued.
She also said the latest Israeli strikes should also be assessed against efforts to rehabilitate Syrian military infrastructure and Türkiye’s close relations with the new Syrian authorities.
“Türkiye has a fundamentally different approach,” Noi stressed. “Ankara wants to see a strong, unitary Syrian state and seeks to ensure its own security through stable relations with its neighbors.”
Türkiye’s broader regional policy is based on having stable and capable states along its borders and developing cooperative relations with them, according to her.
U.S. special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said Thursday that Washington is working to establish a deconfliction mechanism among Israel, Türkiye and Syria following an Israeli strike on a Syrian air base near the Turkish border.
Referring to the possibility of a Turkish military response, Barrack said Türkiye, after observing aircraft heading toward its territory, may have “understandably prepared to respond.”
Politics
Turkish FM discusses Hormuz, regional developments in separate calls
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held separate phone calls Tuesday with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, diplomatic sources said.
Fidan and his Qatari counterpart discussed the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the sources.
In a separate call with al-Shaibani, Fidan discussed the latest developments in the region.
The calls came amid heightened attention on regional developments and the situation surrounding the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Fidan met with his Qatari counterpart, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, on July 19, a few days after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to the country to extend condolences for the late emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
Türkiye and Qatar have steadily deepened their strategic partnership since establishing it in 2014 through high-level exchanges and bilateral agreements spanning a wide range of fields.
On the other hand, Fidan hosted his Syrian counterpart, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, in Ankara on July 6 as the two neighboring countries continue to deepen relations following the collapse of the Baathist regime in 2024.
Regarding the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, Syria’s top diplomat stressed that the fighting in the region should come to an end as soon as possible. He noted that the regional tensions were also affecting Syria and said Damascus condemned Iran’s attacks against the Gulf countries.
Politics
Turkish NGOs join Gaza aid campaign across 5 continents
Civil society groups supporting Palestinians will hold simultaneous events in more than 17 countries on Wednesday to call for greater humanitarian access to Gaza as the world marks World Humanitarian Day.
The global initiative, called the “Voice of Humanity,” will take place across five continents on Aug. 19, according to Osman Nuri Kabaktepe, head of the Palestine Support Platform, one of the organizations participating in the campaign.
Speaking at a news conference in Istanbul, Kabaktepe called on the public to support the initiative, saying access to food, medicine, shelter and healthcare should be regarded as a fundamental right rather than a concession.
“We are talking about a right, not a favor,” Kabaktepe noted, arguing that restrictions on humanitarian assistance have left civilians in Gaza struggling to obtain essential supplies.
Kabaktepe said tens of thousands of civilians have been killed during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and that children, women, patients and other vulnerable people continue to face difficulties accessing food and medical supplies.
He also accused Israel of failing to comply with provisions on humanitarian assistance under a cease-fire agreement, saying the arrangement envisaged the entry of at least 600 aid trucks into Gaza each day.
Kabaktepe called for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor and urged international organizations and institutions to work to ensure the delivery of aid into the Palestinian enclave.
As part of Wednesday’s campaign, supporters in Istanbul are expected to gather at Üsküdar Square at 6:30 p.m. local time.
Organizers will call for humanitarian assistance to be kept separate from political negotiations and for restrictions on aid deliveries to Gaza to be lifted.
“Humanitarian aid cannot be a matter of negotiation,” Kabaktepe underlined.
He urged international organizations and governments to increase efforts to secure humanitarian access to Gaza.
World Humanitarian Day is observed annually on Aug. 19 to recognize humanitarian workers and people affected by crises around the world.
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