Politics
Turkish activists join ‘expanding’ Sumud flotilla for Gaza
The Spanish port of Barcelona is set to see off activists of the second Global Sumud Flotilla later on Sunday.
Activists from Türkiye will soon join the flotilla, which aims to break the Israeli blockade on the Palestinian enclave Gaza, where tens of thousands of people have been slaughtered by Israel since 2023 and many more have been left to survive on limited means.
About 30 boats planned to leave the Mediterranean port city laden with medical aid and other supplies on the Global Sumud Flotilla, and more vessels are expected to join along the route toward Palestine.
Sümeyra Akdeniz Ordu, one of the Turkish activists and organizers of the flotilla, told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Sunday that they expanded their strategy this time and it was not only about breaking the blockade through a sea route. “We will also launch a land convoy and hold a congress on April 22. She said “the unity at sea and land” will launch pressure on governments that endorsed Israel’s genocide. Ordu is the only Turkish organizer of the flotilla and said their numbers will be higher this time.
“In our first attempt, we achieved some concrete results. For instance, Palestinian fishermen were able to fish off the coast of Gaza after a long time because Israelis were too distracted as they were busy with stopping us. Then, we witnessed a cease-fire even if it was not fully honored. Moreover, we had the support of Palestinians who invited us again. We are doing this because they expect us,” she stated.
The Israeli military halted the roughly 40 boats assembled by the same organization last October as they attempted to reach blockaded Gaza, arresting Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and more than 450 other participants.
Israel, which controls all access to the Gaza Strip, denies withholding supplies for its more than 2 million residents. Yet Palestinians and international aid bodies say supplies reaching the territory are still insufficient, despite a cease-fire reached in October, which included guarantees of increased aid.
Liam Cunningham, an actor who starred in the “Game of Thrones” television series who is supporting the flotilla but not taking part, told Reuters: “Every kilogram of aid that is on these ships is a failure because all these people on these ships giving up their time to help their fellow human beings are doing what their governments are legally obliged to do.”
The World Health Organization has said that even during armed conflicts, states are obligated under international humanitarian law to ensure that people are able to reach medical care in safety.
“This is a mission that aims to open a humanitarian corridor so the aid delivery organizations can arrive,” Saif Abukeshak, a Palestinian activist and member of the flotilla’s organising committee, told Reuters.
Speaking at a news conference in Ankara earlier this week, Zeynel Abidin Özkan, a Turkish activist who took part in the first flotilla, said that number of boats will increase this time. “More boats will join them in Italian, Greek and Turkish territorial waters,” he said.
Created in 2025 by NGO representatives, activists and volunteers from various countries, the flotilla last sailed in September with 42 boats and 462 people. This time, it will have at least 70 boats and nearly 1,000 volunteers from 70 countries.
One of the flotilla’s spokespersons, Pablo Castilla, stated that the main goal of the initiative is “to condemn international complicity in what is happening in Gaza, demand accountability, and open a humanitarian corridor by sea and land.” Castilla expressed concern that international attention on Gaza has declined due to U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, and Israel’s actions in Lebanon. “Israel has intensified the blockade on Gaza, restricted aid entry, expanded settlements, and accelerated land confiscation,” he said.
Other organizers emphasized that they are acting within the law and that the mission is being coordinated with Palestinian civil society organizations, legal experts, politicians and specialists in maritime security and media strategy. This year, the participation of well-known NGOs such as Greenpeace and Open Arms, along with increased support from the Barcelona municipality, stands out.
During the flotilla’s previous attempt in September, Israeli forces stopped the vessels in what organizers described as an unlawful intervention, boarded them, detained volunteers and took them to Israel.
Israeli naval forces initially boarded several boats about 70 nautical miles off the Gaza coast, cutting communications and blocking signals. They also used drones to interfere, disrupting emergency signals and live broadcasts of the boarding.
The Gaza Strip needs around 450 tons of flour daily, while only around 200 tons are currently available, Gaza’s government media office said Sunday.
Israel is intensifying a policy of “engineered starvation” in Gaza by restricting flour supplies, the office said in a statement.
Despite the cease-fire agreement that allows the entry of 600 trucks per day, Israel allows only 38% of pre-war supply, it added.
The office said the crisis worsened after World Central Kitchen halted its flour support, as the U.S.-based charity previously provided 20 to 30 tons daily, while the World Food Program reduced its supplies from 300 to 200 tons per day, adding that several other organizations have also suspended their bread and flour programs to the enclave.
About 1.9 million people in Gaza, out of a population of 2.4 million, remain displaced and live in harsh conditions in worn-out tents after their homes were destroyed during Israel’s two-year war.
Despite the cease-fire agreement that took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, living conditions have not significantly improved, amid Israel’s failure to allow the agreed levels of humanitarian aid, including food, medical supplies and shelter materials.
The war in Gaza has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians and injured about 172,000 others, and has caused widespread destruction affecting around 90% of civilian infrastructure.
Türkiye and Pakistan intensified diplomatic efforts Tuesday as fragile cease-fire conditions hold and stalled U.S.-Iran talks raise uncertainty over the next phase of negotiations. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held separate phone calls with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to discuss ongoing diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran, Turkish diplomatic sources said.
The discussions come as mediation efforts continue following rare direct talks between the United States and Iran held in Islamabad over the weekend. The negotiations, aimed at ending the conflict, concluded early Sunday without an agreement.
Pakistan has positioned itself as a key mediator in the process. Officials said a second round of talks could take place in Islamabad “very soon” at Pakistan’s invitation, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to visit Saudi Arabia and Türkiye ahead of the next round of negotiations, according to an official statement released Tuesday.
Fidan will also host his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt, a ministry source said.
“This is the third meeting of the four countries to discuss regional affairs, not specifically Hormuz,” the source, who wished to remain anonymous, told Agence France-Presse (AFP). The top diplomats are due to hold talks on the margins of an annual Antalya diplomacy forum that opens on Friday.
The diplomatic push follows a two-week cease-fire secured last week after weeks of escalating hostilities. Iranian authorities say more than 3,300 people have been killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes since Feb. 28.
Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, Iraq, Jordan and Gulf countries hosting U.S. military assets before the cease-fire took effect.
Despite the pause in fighting, officials say the situation remains fragile, with renewed negotiations seen as critical to preventing further escalation.
Devlet Bahçeli, leader of government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), called for the establishment of a “World Peace Council at a time when the possibility of a third world war is voiced strongly.”
Addressing the parliamentary group meeting of his party on Tuesday in Ankara, the veteran politician said it should be led by the U.N. secretary-general and include Türkiye, the United States, Russia, China and the European Union. “It is an obligation for humanity,” he said. He voiced the same call last week.
Bahçeli’s call aligns with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s oft-repeated motto “the world is bigger than five,” which refers to an expected change in the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. Like Erdoğan, Bahçeli advocates for a major change in the world order where major powers engage in actions affecting third countries while the international bodies are accused of inaction.
“It is inevitable to demonstrate a new global will based on justice and balance, to replace a hypocritical understanding of the order where peace is only a word while wars are a reality. Türkiye is ready to contribute to this mission stemming from its historic responsibility,” he said, quoting Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Türkiye: “Peace at home, peace in the world.”
The MHP leader’s speech mostly concentrated on the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, and he had nothing but harsh words against Israel, which he branded as “the spoiled child of the United States.”
Stating that the current global landscape is a multilayered web of calculations where diplomacy is interwoven with military operations, energy security with border safety, and international law with a racist and sectarian mindset, Bahçeli recalled the attacks by the U.S. and Israel against Iran. On talks for a cease-fire, he said it was not a comprehensive reconciliation but rather a “temporary pause that allows the parties to review their positions at a point where they have failed to achieve their strategic and fundamental goals.”
“Direct U.S.-Iran negotiations have ended without reaching any agreement. Following this struggle, which continues to exert its full weight not only on the ground but also on diplomatic grounds, we see that there is no finished crisis, but only an “arm-wrestling” match that has changed form. The inconclusive talks in Islamabad have further strengthened the possibility of regional conflicts evolving into global destruction. Just as uncontrolled and unchecked power competition and the ambition for armament cause bombs to explode in the Middle East today, they will pave the way for even greater destruction in the heart of Europe, the junctions of Asia and the fragile basins of Africa tomorrow,” he underlined.
He stated that humanity, already shaken by the global COVID-19 pandemic, is being relentlessly tossed about by the Ukraine-Russia war, the disrupted trade security in the Red Sea and the Black Sea, the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, the destruction in Lebanon, and the crises breaking out in Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia.
On Lebanon, Bahçeli said that Israel’s attacks there demonstrated that Zionists were not willing to leave Lebanon. “Israel’s attacks violating Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity should immediately stop,” he said. Bahçeli noted that Israel’s attacks on the regional countries increased, and it was the real and only culprit of the ongoing conflicts. “The international order’s real problem is failure to exert pressure on Israel. World’s double standards are revealed in light of tolerance for spoiled child of the United States,” he stressed.
Terror-free Türkiye
Bahçeli reasoned that developments in the region led the public to understand their insistence and commitment to the terror-free Türkiye initiative. Bahçeli launched the initiative in 2024 for disarmament of the PKK terrorist group, which has members in Iraq, Syria and Iran. The PKK complied with the initiative and is currently in a disarmament process, monitored by the Turkish intelligence.
In his remarks on Tuesday, Bahçeli said that beyond eliminating terrorism, the initiative would revive regions where fears of terrorism and insecurity had dominated for years. “It is no longer a dream that the eastern, southeastern Anatolia, border areas, villages, highlands and plains will join mobilization for local production and agriculture after they free themselves of the shackles of terrorism,” he said.
Refat Chubarov, head of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis, said a delegation led by Crimean Tatar leader Mustafa Abdulcemil Kırımoğlu will visit Türkiye from April 17-19 to attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, as Ankara remains a key hub for the Crimean Tatar diaspora.
Speaking to reporters at the Embassy of Ukraine in Ankara on Tuesday, Chubarov said he arrived in Türkiye ahead of the delegation to hold preliminary meetings with Turkish officials and representatives of Crimean Tatar associations.
During his visit to Ankara, Chubarov is expected to meet senior figures including Fuat Oktay, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Kürşat Zorlu. He will also visit the Organization of Turkic Culture (TÜRKSOY) to discuss cultural and linguistic cooperation projects.
Chubarov said the delegation’s top priority is the situation of political prisoners in Crimea, noting that they will seek Türkiye’s support in efforts to secure their release. He added that strengthening ties with the large Crimean Tatar diaspora in Türkiye remains an important objective.
Highlighting the broader implications of the Russia-Ukraine war, Chubarov said a just peace could lead to major shifts in the international system.
He echoed remarks by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the need for reform in global governance, citing criticism that international institutions, including the United Nations, have failed to fulfill their responsibilities.
He also pointed to the potential for closer cooperation between Türkiye and Ukraine in regional security and postwar reconstruction efforts.
On recent developments in Ukraine, Chubarov welcomed a decree authorizing steps toward formally recognizing the Crimean Tatar Mejlis as the official representative body of the Crimean Tatar people.
He also stressed that the Mejlis should not be viewed as a civil society organization but as a legitimate political representative institution.
Chubarov said consultations between Ukrainian authorities and the Mejlis would continue, emphasizing that issues concerning Crimea and Crimean Tatars should not be discussed without their direct representation in negotiations.
He also noted that of the 351 political prisoners detained in Crimea since its annexation by Russia in 2014, 180 are Crimean Tatars, describing the situation as part of a broader effort to instill fear and suppress the community.
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, former chair of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), was sentenced to 11 months and 20 days in prison by a court in the southern city of Mersin on Tuesday, on charges of insulting the president. The sentence was suspended and subject to appeal.
The lawsuit goes back to 2013, when President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was serving as prime minister and Kılıçdaroğlu was in the third year of his 13-year tenure in Türkiye’s oldest party. The opposition leader was accused of insulting Erdoğan during a rally in Mersin. Kılıçdaroğlu did not attend Tuesday’s hearing while his lawyer participated in the hearing via videolink. The judge ruled for a suspended sentence on charges of insulting a public official. Kılıçdaroğlu’s lawyer will take the verdict to a higher court of appeal, which may overturn it.
The veteran politician lost to Erdoğan in a run-off in the 2023 presidential election. He was later replaced as party leader by Özgür Özel, who is now accused of buying votes in the November 2023 intra-party election, where he defeated Kılıçdaroğlu.
Kılıçdaroğlu is still seen as harboring ambitions to return to the CHP leadership. Media outlets recently reported that he was in talks with people still loyal to him in the party to take over the leadership. A hearing in May over vote-buying allegations may conclude with a verdict of “absolute nullification” of the Özel administration. This, in turn, will require the appointment of a trustee to the party leadership. Kılıçdaroğlu has earlier signalled that he was ready to be a trustee.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek’s recent remarks on proposed social media regulations have sparked new debates. Experts underline that the suggested system could have a deterrent effect against manipulation through disinformation, reputational attacks, and the use of fake and bot accounts.
“Gürlek’s statement in early April 2026 signals a transformative shift in balancing anonymity and accountability in the digital world,” Ali Murat Kırık, professor at Marmara University and the head of Visual Communication Design department, told to Daily Sabah.
“The proposed system aims to curb manipulation carried out through disinformation, reputational attacks, and fake accounts (bots).”
Speaking at a public program on April 3, 2026, Gürlek announced plans to end anonymity on social media, saying users will be required to log in with their national identification numbers under a forthcoming legal framework.
He said negotiations with social media platforms had concluded with mutual agreement, paving the way for a system that would mandate identity verification for all users in Türkiye.
Under the proposed regulation, social media accounts would be tied to individuals’ official identities, making users legally accountable for their online activity.
“If a person opens an account on social media and commits a crime, there must be consequences,” Gürlek said. “We want social media to have rules and a legal framework. If someone opens an account, they must bear responsibility for it.”
The minister stressed that the measure aims to strengthen the fight against cybercrime, curb disinformation and establish legal responsibility in digital spaces.
Kırık also asserted that the system appears technically feasible, particularly in light of reports that authorities have reached an agreement with social media platforms.
He said the model could function through API integration, allowing platforms to connect with centralized identity verification systems such as Türkiye’s e-Government infrastructure. During account registration, users would verify their identity using national ID numbers along with mobile phone authentication.
“This would establish a direct link between digital accounts and real individuals,” he noted.
While announcing the new social media reform Gürlek also added that anonymous or fake accounts often distort events and contribute to what he described as “trial by social media,” where individuals are judged and condemned online without due process.
“If someone insults others or carries out a smear campaign online, they must face the consequences.”
Gürlek noted that the regulation is expected to be formalized as part of Türkiye’s upcoming 12th Judicial Reform Package, which would provide the legal basis for requiring verified identities on social media platforms.
Kırık also argued that the platform compliance is another critical dimension of the proposal, pointing to a shift in the stance of major global companies such as such as X and Meta, which previously resisted similar regulatory demands, now appear more open to cooperation.
According to him, this change is largely driven by Türkiye’s recent legal framework, which requires social media companies to maintain local representation and comply with national regulations, increasing pressure on platforms to align with domestic rules.
On the other hand, Mert H. Akgün, a researcher in law and human rights at the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), asserted that the misuse of anonymity on social media has become a growing concern, particularly through fake accounts used to shape public opinion or influence political and social developments.
“In some cases, these practices can even undermine individual safety and public order. In that sense, efforts to extend the rule of law and reinforce cyber sovereignty into the digital sphere can be seen as both reasonable and necessary,” he said.
Ensuring that legal norms are effectively applied on social media is essential to maintaining the integrity of the legal order, according to Akgün. “Anonymity should not function as a shield from legal accountability.”
The plan outlines a three-month transition period, with the regulation to be implemented gradually rather than all at once.
Under the proposal, existing users would be required to verify their accounts by linking them to their real identities through secure systems such as Türkiye’s e-Government platform or similar verification tools.
At the end of the transition period, accounts that fail to complete identity verification including those identified as fake or automated would be permanently removed by the platforms.
According to Akgün, while steps such as identity verification may strengthen accountability and security, they must be designed in a way that does not undermine the open and dynamic nature of online public discourse.
“Balancing freedom of expression with the protection of other fundamental rights and public security remains a delicate challenge.”
The regulation also introduces an age requirement, setting a minimum of 15 years to access social media platforms. While children under 15 would be restricted from opening accounts, additional biometric limitations and filtering systems are expected to be applied to users under 18.
Combatting Disinformation
Moreover, Türkiye has been actively working to counter disinformation as it poses a great threat against the peace in public. The Disinformation Combat Center (DMM) was established to address the growing global challenge of misinformation and focus on debunking false claims related to national security, public safety and diplomatic affairs.
“The system could have a strong deterrent effect in combatting disinformation,” Kırık asserted. Reminding that when users know their online activity is directly linked to their real identities and legal responsibilities, they are more likely to act with caution.
“This could lead to a noticeable decrease in the spread of false information and unlawful content.”
Burhanettin Duran, the head of the Directorate of Communications, previously said that the state must play a regulatory and supervisory role by establishing a strong legal framework, while families should raise awareness for themselves and their children. Digital platforms, he added, must assume greater responsibility for content moderation and algorithmic transparency.
“Digital platforms do not only create personal addictions,” Duran said. “They produce consequences that destroy families, weaken social relationships and, in some cases, cost individuals their lives. We cannot abandon the digital world, but we must manage it. Control has to remain in our hands.”
Meanwhile, Akgün stated that the measure could provide meaningful support in the fight against disinformation, but caution that it is not a standalone solution, saying that the problem extends beyond anonymous individuals, pointing to more complex dynamics such as coordinated networks, automated bot systems, engagement-driven platform business models and algorithmic amplification.
“Introducing real-name requirements may reduce certain types of fake accounts, but it does not automatically dismantle the broader ecosystem through which disinformation operates, Akgün agrued, “For that reason, combating disinformation requires an integrated and multi-layered approach.”
He indicated that rather than concentrating exclusively on monitoring users, priority should be given to placing platforms themselves under effective legal oversight.
“Mechanisms such as enhanced transparency obligations, independent oversight structures, and a graduated system of sanctions can create more sustainable and systemic solutions to the problem of disinformation.”
Turkish authorities have detained 525 suspects in nationwide operations targeting the Daesh terrorist group, the Interior Ministry announced Monday.
The raids were carried out across 56 provinces including Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, Manisa, Mersin in coordination with the police counterterrorism units, intelligence authorities, the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and public prosecutors, the ministry said in a statement.
Among those detained were individuals with outstanding arrest warrants, as well as suspects accused of previous involvement in Daesh activities, providing financial support to the group and maintaining links with foreign terrorist members, authorities said.
Officials said 88 of the suspects, identified as foreign terrorist fighters, were transferred to repatriation centers for deportation procedures.
The operations, conducted simultaneously by provincial counterterrorism units, resulted in the seizure of weapons, ammunition, financial assets, as well as organizational documents and digital materials, according to the statement.
Last week, a shooting incident near the former Israeli Consulate building in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş district triggered a large-scale security response after armed assailants opened fire near a police point at the Yapı Kredi Plaza complex.
Police units engaged the attackers in a gunbattle, during which the suspects were neutralized and two officers were lightly injured.
Turkish media reports said the gunman who was killed was a 32-year-old man linked to Daesh.
Türkiye considers the Daesh terrorist group one of the biggest threats to the country’s security and peace, as the group faces nationwide raids, and was one of the first countries to declare it a terrorist group in 2013.
Officials said counterterrorism operations targeting Daesh networks and financing structures will continue across the country.
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