Politics
Turks on Gaza aid flotilla to return to Istanbul after Israeli seizure
Turkish activists detained during an Israeli interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla are expected to return to Istanbul on Friday, organizers said.
According to a statement by the Global Sumud Flotilla, around 20 Turkish participants are due to arrive at Istanbul Airport between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. local time after being transferred to Greece.
“Following the attack on the flotilla, 175 activists were taken to the Greek island of Crete for repatriation,” the group said, adding that Turkish citizens were among those being returned.
The flotilla, part of a broader international effort to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, included 345 participants from 39 countries, according to organizers. The mission initially departed from Barcelona on April 12, with additional participants joining from Sicily before setting sail again on April 26.
On Thursday, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said 175 activists had been detained after more than 20 vessels were seized in international waters while en route to the Gaza Strip.
Organizers on Friday called on governments to pressure Israel to release the two activists remaining in custody.
The mission marks the second initiative by the Global Sumud Flotilla, following a previous attempt in September 2025 that ended with an Israeli interception in international waters and the detention of hundreds of international activists.
In October 2023, Israel launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and destroyed about 90% of the enclave’s infrastructure, with reconstruction costs estimated by the United Nations at around $70 billion.
Israel has imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, leaving about 1.5 million Palestinians out of roughly 2.4 million homeless after their homes were destroyed during the war.
Türkiye on Monday condemned Greece’s decision to close eight primary schools belonging to the Turkish minority in Western Thrace ahead of the 2026-2027 academic year, arguing that the move violates international obligations and further erodes the educational rights of the minority community.
The criticism came from both the Foreign Ministry and Hakan Çavuşoğlu, a member of the Presidential Council for Legal Policies and a former deputy prime minister of Türkiye who is himself from the Western Thrace Turkish minority.
Greece has cited insufficient student enrollment as the reason for shutting down the schools. According to Turkish officials, the closures reduce the number of Turkish minority primary schools in Western Thrace to 76.
Çavuşoğlu, who attended one of the minority schools that is now scheduled to close, described the decision as a personal disappointment and argued that it extends a long pattern of restrictions targeting Turkish minority education.
“The closure of these schools does not simply mean locking the doors of school buildings,” Çavuşoğlu said. “It represents a serious intervention against the language, culture, identity and future of the Western Thrace Turkish community.”
He argued that minority education is a fundamental right protected under the Lausanne Treaty and accused Greece of pursuing policies that systematically weaken the institutional structure of the minority community.
According to Çavuşoğlu, reducing the number of minority schools under the justification of declining enrollment weakens access to education in the Turkish language and undermines the community’s ability to preserve its cultural identity.
He also criticized reported efforts to cancel the enrollment of some students at the Iskeçe (Xanthi) Central Turkish Minority Primary School through administrative procedures.
“A child’s right to receive education in his or her mother tongue is an inseparable part of universal human rights,” Çavuşoğlu said, adding that parents should be free to enroll their children in minority schools without bureaucratic interference.
He argued that preventing families from exercising that choice contradicts both educational freedom and fundamental human rights principles.
Çavuşoğlu also questioned Greece’s commitment to democratic values, saying policies affecting Turkish minority education were inconsistent with the principles of pluralism, human rights and the rule of law promoted by the European Union.
He called on Athens to reverse what he described as discriminatory policies and fulfill its international commitments regarding minority protections.
The former deputy prime minister said the Turkish minority has been an integral part of Western Thrace for centuries and argued that administrative measures cannot erase its language, culture or identity.
He also urged the international community to pay closer attention to the situation, saying stronger support was needed to safeguard the minority’s educational and fundamental rights.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli also condemned on Sunday Greece’s use of low student numbers as a pretext for closing minority schools.
“We condemn Greece’s decision to close eight primary schools belonging to the Western Thrace Turkish minority under the pretext of insufficient student enrollment,” Keçeli said in a statement posted on X.
He further criticized what he described as new administrative obstacles affecting first-grade enrollment at the Xanthi 1st Turkish Minority Primary School, calling them another example of systematic practices that undermine the educational rights of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace.
Keçeli said the closures and enrollment restrictions constituted violations of the 1923 Lausanne Peace Treaty, which guarantees educational, religious and cultural rights for recognized minorities.
He urged Greece to comply with its treaty obligations and implement rulings by international courts and recommendations from European institutions concerning minority rights.
“Türkiye will continue to firmly support the Western Thrace Turkish minority in its struggle to protect its rights,” Keçeli underlined.
Türkiye’s oldest party will soon produce its newest. The “New Party,” as it has been tentatively dubbed by media outlets close to the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), is expected to be unveiled this week by Özgür Özel, who lost his seat at the helm of the CHP to his predecessor, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, in May. Prior to the announcement, lawmakers are calculating their political futures, with some undecided about whether to stay in the CHP or join Özel in the new party.
Since Kılıçdaroğlu retook the reins, he has worked to boost his support within the party, but Özel, who has been reduced to the post of parliamentary group chair, has long resisted the idea of leaving. The Özel camp believes he is the CHP’s only chance of winning the next presidential election, but the growing rift within the party is further diminishing that chance.
Özel is working to convince as many lawmakers as possible to join the new party, but some lawmakers are reportedly unwilling to leave the CHP. According to a report by the Sabah newspaper, they include lawmakers who earlier issued messages of support for Özel’s struggle to reclaim his chairmanship after a court ruled that his chairmanship was null and void over allegations of vote-buying in a 2023 election that brought him to power.
Kılıçdaroğlu was flatly branded a “traitor” by Özel’s supporters, while Özel himself did not spare his predecessor criticism as he toured Türkiye to garner support for his cause. The Özel camp commands a stronger presence on social media, and some lawmakers are afraid of reprisals from other CHP members if they choose to remain under the Kılıçdaroğlu administration, party sources told Sabah. This has been the case on social media for prominent party figures who openly supported Kılıçdaroğlu. The online lynch mob was quick to highlight past mistakes in both their political and private lives when they pledged allegiance to Kılıçdaroğlu. Indeed, Kılıçdaroğlu himself was the subject of a hostile campaign, particularly by those who had fanatically supported him in the 2023 presidential race against incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Party sources say many lawmakers who make public appearances with Özel have expressed their intention to stay in the CHP and claim that no more than 60 lawmakers will leave to join Özel’s new party. Most of them, they say, would be figures who joined the CHP in recent years.
The Özel camp, nevertheless, claims that at least 80 lawmakers would join the new party. Özel will need at least 68 lawmakers to make his new party the main opposition party. Thus, Kılıçdaroğlu’s CHP would be reduced to 67 seats in Parliament and drop to the rank of the third-largest party. Party sources say Özel has had to wait for the inauguration of the new party because he has still been unable to reach this number.
Skepticism among CHP lawmakers over Özel’s new party is also tied to the “Imamoğlu factor.” Most CHP figures are unwilling to join a new party under the influence of former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, who is currently imprisoned on corruption charges. Imamoğlu is an influential figure in the party and was declared its presidential candidate after his arrest in March 2025. Since then, he has secretly run the party’s affairs from behind bars, according to media reports. Özel is deeply committed to Imamoğlu’s cause, while Kılıçdaroğlu has not been on very good terms with the former mayor, who was caught red-handed secretly garnering support for Özel before the latter competed against Kılıçdaroğlu in the 2023 intra-party vote.
Imamoğlu represents a new trend in the party, whose past image has been stained by successive defeats at the hands of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), and is viewed as a savior figure for the CHP. He leans more toward the center-right compared with Kılıçdaroğlu’s “old-school” social democrats and Özel’s volatile mix of political ideologies, which seeks to draw from the playbook of the all-embracing AK Party.
Apart from undecided lawmakers, another risk awaiting Özel is the potential loss of his parliamentary immunity. Currently, Özel has 61 outstanding cases before Parliament that could lead to the lifting of his immunity. A parliamentary committee will continue working through the summer, although other committees have gone into recess, and will focus on immunity cases. A report by Sabah says at least 25 lawmakers siding with Kılıçdaroğlu would vote in favor of lifting Özel’s immunity if the parliamentary committee put the issue to a vote. The Sabah report says this number could increase to 35 in the coming days.
Kılıçdaroğlu has been an avid supporter of lifting lawmakers’ immunity, something he highlighted in an interview last month. Party sources told Sabah that Özel and other lawmakers should not be afraid of losing their immunity if they are not guilty of anything and that, on the contrary, this may be their chance to clear their names.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will travel to Qatar on an official visit Sunday, Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said Saturday.
Fidan is expected to reaffirm Türkiye’s solidarity with Qatar following the recent attacks on the Gulf nation and underscore Ankara’s continued support during talks with Qatari officials. The meetings will also focus on the growing strategic partnership between the two countries and ways to deepen cooperation across a range of sectors.
The discussions are expected to cover preparations for the 12th meeting of the Türkiye-Qatar High Strategic Committee, which is scheduled to take place in Türkiye later this year under the co-chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Fidan is also expected to emphasize that recent regional developments have once again highlighted the strategic importance of defense and military cooperation between Türkiye and Qatar.
The agenda will include discussions on the need to address regional issues through dialogue and diplomacy, based on the principle of regional ownership, while calling for stronger joint efforts to advance that approach.
The talks will also focus on enhancing cooperation on connectivity, which has become increasingly important for economic stability and energy security.
According to the sources, Fidan is expected to say that achieving a lasting resolution to tensions in the Gulf and preventing renewed escalation remain the most urgent priorities.
He is also expected to exchange views on ongoing diplomatic initiatives and mediation efforts, underscore the importance of ensuring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and stress the need to remain vigilant against Israel’s destabilizing activities.
The minister will also share Türkiye’s assessment of the situation in Gaza and recent developments related to the Gaza Peace Plan.
Fidan last visited Qatar on May 11 and 12.
Türkiye-Qatar ties
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.
The Türkiye-Qatar High Strategic Committee, the highest institutional mechanism guiding bilateral relations, has met annually since 2015, alternating between the two countries.
The most recent meeting was held in Doha on Oct. 22, 2025. The next session is expected to take place in Türkiye later this year.
Bilateral trade reached $1.1 billion in 2025, and both countries aim to increase it to $5 billion in the coming years.
The Türkiye-Qatar Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement entered into force on Aug. 1, 2025.
Ankara on Friday criticized the European Union over a policy document released earlier this week, saying its references to the country ignored Türkiye’s status as an EU candidate and failed to reflect its strategic role in European security.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli said the EU’s “Common Understanding” document, published on July 15, lacked “a strategic and fair approach” toward Türkiye.
“The document ignores Türkiye’s candidate status and demonstrates the EU’s inability to develop a shared vision for the future with our country,” Keçeli noted in a statement posted on social media.
Keçeli underlined that the document was issued shortly after the NATO summit in Ankara, where allies reaffirmed Türkiye’s role in Euro-Atlantic security.
“It is evident that the document was drafted in a tone that seeks to overshadow this reality,” he said, referring to Türkiye’s indispensable role within NATO as allies assume greater responsibilities under the alliance.
The spokesperson also rejected references in the document to the Eastern Mediterranean, saying they reflected what he described as the EU’s “biased and distorted understanding” of regional issues.
On Cyprus, Keçeli said responsibility for the failure of reunification efforts rested with the Greek Cypriot side, citing its rejection of the U.N.-backed Annan Plan in 2004 and its uncompromising position during the 2017 Cyprus Conference.
He called on the EU to adopt “a realistic vision and discourse that serves the interests of both sides.”
Communications Director Burhanettin Duran also criticized the EU document, saying its assessments of Türkiye lacked objectivity and strategic foresight.
In a separate statement, Duran said the document overlooked Türkiye’s candidate status and ignored the country’s contribution to European security despite clear recognition of its role during the NATO summit in Ankara.
He also rejected the document’s references to the Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus, arguing that they did not reflect international law or historical realities.
Duran called on the EU to adopt a more responsible approach based on mutual respect, impartiality and shared interests, saying such an approach would better serve efforts to strengthen dialogue between the two sides.
Türkiye’s National Defense Ministry on Friday released a video highlighting killings committed against Turkish Cypriots by the Greek Cypriot terrorist group, EOKA, saying the attacks would not be forgotten.
In a statement shared on social media, the ministry said it would continue publishing videos documenting what it described as atrocities committed by EOKA against Turkish Cypriots.
The ministry said the second installment of the video series includes testimony from a former EOKA member describing attacks on Turkish Cypriots.
“We continue to remind the world of the inhumane massacres committed by the Greek Cypriot terrorist group EOKA against Turkish Cypriots,” the ministry said.
“We have not forgotten and will not forget the bloody legacy of EOKA or those who supported these atrocities.”
The videos were released ahead of the anniversary of Türkiye’s 1974 Peace Operation in Cyprus on July 20.
Founded by Georgios Grivas in 1954, EOKA staged its first terror attack a year later, though its primary objective was to fight against the British occupiers of the island in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The terrorist group began committing more terror attacks and massacres against Turkish Cypriots in 1958, in line with its goals of clearing the island of Turks and uniting it with Greece.
During EOKA’s terror campaign of the 1963 Christmas season, 374 Turkish Cypriots were killed, 109 Turkish villages were forced to evacuate, over 2,500 Turkish houses were severely damaged or demolished, and between 25,000 and 30,000 Turkish Cypriots became refugees, according to a U.N. report released on Sept. 10, 1964.
Between 1963 and 1974, over 100 Turkish villages were attacked. In Taşkent (Tochni), 85 men and boys were executed and dumped in unmarked pits. In Muratağa (Maratha), Sandallar (Santalaris) and Atlılar (Aloda), 126 women, children and elderly were massacred.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday that Türkiye is prepared to support any initiative that could bring Russia and Ukraine back to the negotiating table, reaffirming Ankara’s long-standing role as a potential mediator as he concluded an official visit to Kyiv.
In a statement posted on social media following meetings with Ukrainian leaders, Fidan said his visit had further strengthened the strategic partnership between Türkiye and Ukraine and underscored Ankara’s commitment to supporting efforts aimed at achieving a lasting peace.
“We are ready to support any initiative that will bring the parties back to the negotiating table and contribute to a permanent peace,” he noted, reiterating Türkiye’s position that the more than four-year war should be resolved through diplomacy.
During his visit, Fidan held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and senior presidential officials. According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, the meetings focused on bilateral relations, regional developments and the latest situation in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Fidan said Türkiye welcomed the continued expansion of cooperation with Ukraine despite the ongoing conflict, describing the visit as “highly productive” and thanking Ukrainian officials for their hospitality.
The visit came shortly after Ukraine’s Parliament ratified the Türkiye-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement, a development Fidan described as a milestone in economic relations between the two countries.
“The Free Trade Agreement will create new opportunities for our business communities and elevate our economic partnership to a much higher level,” he said.
Türkiye has maintained close ties with both Kyiv and Moscow since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While supplying military equipment to Ukraine and backing its territorial integrity, Ankara has also preserved diplomatic and economic relations with Russia, positioning itself as one of the few NATO members able to maintain dialogue with both sides.
Turkish officials have repeatedly offered to host renewed peace negotiations, following earlier rounds of talks held in Türkiye during the initial months of the war. Ankara has also played a central role in previous diplomatic initiatives, including efforts that led to the Black Sea grain export arrangement.
Fidan reaffirmed Türkiye’s support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity during his meetings in Kyiv, according to the ministry.
The foreign minister also met with Crimean Tatar leaders Mustafa Abdulcemil Kırımoğlu and Refat Chubarov, discussing the situation of the Indigenous Tatar Muslim community in Russian-annexed Crimea.
“The protection of the rights of the Crimean Tatars and the preservation of their cultural identity will always remain a priority for Türkiye,” Fidan emphasized.
During the visit, Zelenskyy awarded Fidan the Ukrainian Order of Merit, Second Class, recognizing what Ukrainian authorities described as his contribution to strengthening bilateral cooperation and Türkiye’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Ukrainian Presidential Office said the decoration acknowledged Fidan’s efforts to deepen cooperation between the two countries and his role in supporting Ukraine on the international stage.
In a statement released after the meeting, Zelenskyy thanked both Türkiye and Fidan for their efforts to advance peace.
“I met with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and presented him with the Ukrainian Order of Merit, Second Class. I thank Türkiye and Mr. Fidan for their efforts to achieve peace,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media.
The Ukrainian president said he briefed Fidan on the latest battlefield developments and discussed diplomatic efforts that could help revive momentum toward a negotiated settlement.
“Today we discussed the diplomatic process and steps that could reinvigorate efforts to achieve peace,” Zelenskyy said. “I informed him about the current situation on the front line, while Mr. Fidan shared his assessment of diplomatic contacts conducted at different levels.”
Fidan said Türkiye would continue strengthening its strategic partnership and longstanding friendship with Ukraine in line with the vision of the two countries’ presidents, emphasizing that cooperation would remain based on mutual trust and shared interests while Ankara continued to support initiatives aimed at securing a lasting peace.
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