Politics
Sumud made history, paves the way for more action: activist
The head of the Global Sumud Flotilla’s Turkish delegation, Hüseyin Durmaz, spoke to Daily Sabah on Thursday about the process of the detained Turkish activists and the expected updates after communication was cut off.
Israeli forces early Thursday intercepted all ships of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, seizing the vessels and detaining activists. Organizers said communication was cut off, sparking protests across Türkiye and fueling calls for accountability and broader international action in support of Gaza.
Durmaz pointed out the importance of the flotilla and the global support for the activists, saying: “The flotilla was actually a reflection of humanity’s long-standing desire to show willpower and take action against what has been happening in Gaza. People around the world could not accept that international institutions and Western states remained silent in the face of Israel’s oppression and illegality. Many actions were carried out, but a strategy and idea that would yield results were needed. When we created this idea and strategy, we already expected it would receive such support.’’
Durmaz said the mission broke psychological barriers, inspired solidarity and proved that civil will could challenge state and military power.
“We believe today will go down in history, and that from now on, every kind of action, every result-oriented action, larger flotillas and new projects will emerge. The whole world agrees on this point. In the coming days, we will witness massive demonstrations in many countries, starting with Italy and European states. Humanity has now crossed a threshold; it has overcome feelings of despair and hopelessness,” he declared.
According to Durmaz, the activists are expected to be taken to the Port of Ashdod later in the day, where legal teams hope to establish their first contact by evening. One ship, the Mikeno, carrying a Turkish national, reportedly reached Gaza’s territorial waters before being intercepted. It seemed impossible – the psychological and physical blockade perceived as unbreakable – but according to reports, the barrier had in fact been broken.
“We expect Israel, under global pressure, to quickly repatriate our friends,’’ he stressed.
Demonstrations in support of the flotilla have already spread across Türkiye. In Istanbul, hundreds gathered in front of the Israeli and the U.S. Consulates, chanting slogans against Israel’s actions. Protesters first convened at Barbaros Mosque before marching to the consulate building, where speeches were delivered before the crowd dispersed peacefully. Another group gathered at the U.S. Consulate, condemning what they described as Israel’s “genocide in Gaza.”
Beyond Istanbul, protests spread to other provinces. In Diyarbakır, Elazığ and Mardin, crowds gathered waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans, condemning Israel’s violations.
From Mavi Marmara to Sumud
The attack on Sumud is yet another episode in a long history of maritime assaults on activists seeking to break Israel’s illegal blockade.
Since 2009, Israel has illegally intercepted and attacked all flotillas attempting to break its 18-year siege on Gaza, which was further tightened in March when Israel closed border crossings and blocked food and medicine deliveries, pushing the enclave into famine and starvation.
Israel’s attacks on humanitarian sea missions aiming to reach Gaza go back more than a decade, with at least eight previous flotillas intercepted or attacked.
On June 29, 2009, the Israeli navy intercepted the Spirit of Humanity, a vessel operated by the Free Gaza Movement, some 20 nautical miles off the Gaza coast.
The boat, which departed from Larnaca in the Greek Cypriot administration, was carrying humanitarian aid and medical supplies, with 21 passengers onboard.
Surrounded by Israeli gunboats, which threatened to open fire, it was seized and escorted to Ashdod, where all the passengers were detained.
One of the most high-profile Israeli attacks on humanitarian attempts to break the blockade came on May 31, 2010, when Israeli forces stormed the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara as it was sailing in international waters toward Gaza.
The raid resulted in the deaths of 10 activists and injuries to more than 50 people. The vessel was part of a larger flotilla of eight ships carrying about 750 people from 37 countries and 10,000 tons of aid.
Severely straining Türkiye-Israeli relations, the attack prompted Ankara to demand an official apology, compensation and an end to the blockade.
In November 2011, Israeli naval forces intercepted two vessels, the Canadian Tahrir and Irish MV Saoirse, in international waters about 50 nautical miles from Gaza.
Sailing under the “Freedom Waves to Gaza” banner, the boats carried activists seeking to break the blockade.
All the passengers were detained and later deported.
In June 2015, the Swedish vessel Marianne was intercepted by Israeli forces around 100 nautical miles from Gaza.
The vessel was part of the Freedom Flotilla III, which carried 48 rights activists and journalists.
Most of the participants were detained in Israel’s Givon Prison before being released.
The Marianne was taken to the Port of Ashdod, while the other three ships in the group were turned back.
In summer 2018, two boats, the Al-Awda and the Freedom, tried to protest the blockade. On July 29 and Aug. 3, they were intercepted and seized during another Freedom Flotilla mission.
The ships were stopped in international waters, and activists on board reported being beaten during the seizure.
On May 2, 2025, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition boat Conscience was struck by drones in international waters off Malta while en route to Gaza.
The coalition, which operated the vessel, accused Israel of carrying out the attack. In a statement, the group said: “Israeli ambassadors must be summoned and answer to violations of international law, including the ongoing blockade and the bombing of our civilian vessel in international waters.”
The Maltese government said 16 people – 12 crew members and four civilians – were onboard.
The Madleen, an 18-meter vessel part of a mission organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was intercepted by Israeli naval forces in international waters on June 9, 2025.
Less than 100 nautical miles from Gaza, all 12 people on board-including 11 international activists and a journalist-were detained, and the boat was towed to Israel’s Port of Ashdod.
The Madleen was carrying several hundred kilograms of flour, rice, baby formula, and medical and sanitary essentials for the Palestinians in the blockaded Gaza Strip.
On July 26, Israeli naval forces intercepted the Handala aid ship as it neared Gaza’s shores.
It detained all 21 activists on board and escorted the ship to Ashdod.
The vessel had reached about 70 nautical miles from Gaza, surpassing the distance covered by the Madleen, which made it 110 miles before it was stopped.
Legal scholar Sergey Vasiliev said Israel’s attacks on aid flotillas are unlawful and violate international law.
“Israel’s interception of the Sumud flotilla on the high seas and/or within Palestine’s territorial waters off the coast of Gaza violates international law,” Vasiliev, a professor of international law at the Open University in the Netherlands, told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Thursday.
Vasiliev also said the long-term belligerent naval blockade of Gaza is unlawful.
“This blockade serves no purpose other than to starve the civilian population and deprive it of objects indispensable for survival, in violation of the Geneva Conventions Article 54 of Additional Protocol I and customary international law,” he said, adding that it causes disproportionate harm to civilians in Gaza.
The current Global Sumud Flotilla, like its predecessors, poses no threat to Israel, he said.
“It is a purely civilian initiative with no intention or capacity to engage Israeli forces militarily; its sole purpose is to deliver humanitarian aid. The delivery of relief may not lawfully be prevented by a naval blockade.”
He argued that interception of vessels and the arbitrary denial of passage, coupled with harassment, detention or abduction of activists on board, are incompatible with Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law to facilitate humanitarian assistance and the applicable regulations on naval blockades.
“The interception of foreign-flagged ships carrying humanitarian aid in this context constitutes interference with the flag states’ sovereignty and amounts to an unlawful use of force against them. The relevant flag states may seek to enforce their rights under international law,” said Vasiliev.
Damaged vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla are being repaired in Türkiye’s Antalya after an Israeli attack in international waters, with volunteers working to prepare the ships for another voyage toward Gaza.
Some of the vessels were left with damaged engines, broken masts and torn sails after the attack. They were later brought to Antalya, where local and international volunteers are carrying out repairs at a shipyard.
Two vessels have already been repaired and sent to Italy as part of preparations for another Gaza-bound mission, said Sümeyra Akdeniz Ordu, a board member of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
“We are trying to recover the ships drifting at sea one by one. We are carrying out a rescue mission,” Ordu told Anadolu Agency (AA). “We are repairing these ships so they can sail to Gaza again.”
Fourteen flotilla vessels are currently in Antalya, Ordu said, adding that volunteers from different countries were helping coordinate and repair the ships.
She said each vessel had a special significance for the activists and that they were treating the ships “like their own children” as they worked to restore them.
The damage was extensive, Ordu said, describing broken masts, damaged engines and cut hoses. She also said the sails had been torn with knives.
“The mast was broken, surface cleaner and coffee had been poured into the engines, and the hoses on each ship had been cut one by one,” she said. “They caused this damage by ramming them with larger ships.”
The repairs have been difficult because of the extent of the damage, but volunteers have continued working, Ordu said.
Türkiye has provided a safe port for the repair effort, she added.
Ordu said the activists remained determined to continue their efforts despite the damage to the vessels.
“If the enemy does not give up, we cannot give up,” she said. “We are trying to be a voice here for our Palestinian friends.”
She said the damage to the vessels showed what she described as the violence and hostility directed at the flotilla.
“We, too, insist on continuing every form of resistance,” Ordu said.
Türkiye condemned a drone attack on a power distribution station in the Saudi city of Medina that supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, reiterating its support for Saudi Arabia amid renewed regional tensions.
Ömer Çelik, spokesperson for Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), condemned the attack on Friday, saying targeting infrastructure serving the Prophet’s Mosque was unacceptable.
“Attacks targeting our sacred values are illegitimate acts directed against all Muslims,” Çelik said in a social media post, adding that Türkiye strongly supported Saudi Arabia’s security and stability.
The targeted facility supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second-holiest site. The attack put one transformer out of service but did not affect the electricity network.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry also strongly condemned the attack, saying strikes targeting civilian infrastructure and threatening Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and security should “cease immediately and unconditionally.”
The ministry reiterated Türkiye’s support for Saudi Arabia and called on parties to avoid steps that could further escalate tensions in the region.
“We reaffirm our strong support for Saudi Arabia and emphasize the need to avoid any steps that would further escalate tensions in the region,” the statement said.
Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran on Friday separately condemned the strike and said Türkiye would continue to stand by Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi-led coalition said an investigation and examination of drone wreckage indicated Houthi involvement in the Sept. 29 attack.
Coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki Al Maliki said the targeted facility supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, one of Islam’s holiest sites.
Saudi Arabia said two weeks ago it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered restricted airspace over the Muslim holy city. The coalition described that incident as the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca since 2017.
Earlier on Thursday, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, also condemned the attack on Medina.
The OIC described the targeting of vital infrastructure and facilities as “a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of the sanctity of holy sites,” as well as international and humanitarian laws and norms.
Bashiqa-Zilkan, a key Turkish base in Iraq, will soon be handed over to Iraqi authorities while Turkish troops are expected to withdraw from the country. The development, which comes amid the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country, which remained there as part of an anti-Daesh coalition, signals the start of a new era for Iraq and Türkiye. The Ministry of National Defense said in a statement on Thursday that the handover of the base did not mean an end to cooperation with Iraq and, on the contrary, Türkiye would continue supporting Iraq’s security and stability.
Türkiye and Iraq agreed earlier this month to deepen security cooperation, restore full Iraqi state authority in Sinjar and begin the gradual handover of the Bashiqa-Zilkan military base to Baghdad under an agreed timetable.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced the steps in a joint statement following talks in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
The ministry said Türkiye welcomed steps to ensure state authority in Sinjar. The base was set up in 2015 to help Iraq fight against Daesh and later maintained its presence when the terrorist group PKK sought to replace Daesh following the liberation of Sinjar.
“These steps will contribute to normalization of the region, establishing an environment of security and stability and a terror-free region,” the ministry said, using an expression referring to Ankara’s “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, which aims to disarm the PKK.
The statement also said it was decided to gradually hand over the compound to the central government in Baghdad, “based on improvement of security in Sinjar.”
“Our country, as it did in the past, stands with our neighbor Iraq in terms of maintaining an environment of security and stability. Throughout future contacts, we are planning to take steps that will further advance military and security cooperation. We will continue supporting Iraq’s armed forces in increasing military capacity, sharing know-how in counterterrorism and in the fields of military training and defense industry cooperation, based on bilateral agreements,” the ministry stated.
Ayhan Sarı, an assistant professor at the Turkish-German University and a security and foreign policy expert at the Turkish Research Foundation (TAV), noted that Türkiye’s withdrawal was linked to ending the PKK’s presence in Sinjar and the re-establishment of Baghdad’s authority there.
Sarı told Daily Sabah that Türkiye has been in Iraq as an exercise of its right to self-defense under international law, particularly Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which recognizes the right to individual and collective self-defense against armed attacks. “Türkiye’s presence in Iraq has been due to the PKK threat in the north. (The dissolution) of the PKK will remove the need to remain in Iraq,” Sarı said.
He noted that the PKK and other terrorist groups had, for years, filled the power vacuum that emerged in Iraq’s northern region following the beginning of the Iraq War.
“Iraq’s central government claims it can find a solution to this vacuum through recent steps and establish full authority within its borders after the U.S. withdrawal,” Sarı said.
A U.S.-led coalition deployed in Iraq more than a decade ago against Daesh formally concluded its mission on Wednesday. Daesh was largely expelled from Iraq and Syria, also thanks to Türkiye’s cross-border operations in Assad-era Syria, but U.S. forces remained. Washington and Baghdad reached an agreement two years ago to wind down the mission.
Sarı said it was only natural that Türkiye was supportive of Iraq’s steps to ensure security on its own, since Ankara was committed to developing good relations with its neighbors and centered its foreign policy on peace and stability.
“As it did in Syria, Türkiye sides with central authority, stability and security in Iraq. Türkiye will support this move and will do whatever it can to ensure that this mission succeeds in maintaining stability and security, based on its neighborly relations,” he said.
Sarı added that Iraq’s efforts were compatible with Türkiye’s foreign policy and plans. “Iraq’s success will also mean the complete expulsion of the PKK from that country. This expulsion, removal of this malignant tumor between Türkiye and Iraq, will certainly add momentum to Turkish-Iraqi relations,” he also stated.
Speaking at the inauguration of the new legislative year at the Turkish Parliament on Thursday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hailed a law passed by Parliament on terror-free Türkiye, which involves the disarmament of the terrorist group PKK.
“Consensus on a terror-free Türkiye has upset the country’s foes. (Terror-free Türkiye) is already having a deterrent effect on Türkiye’s foes and is empowering the country,” Erdoğan said.
The president also urged other political parties to strengthen the “home front” amid regional tensions and reach a “grand Türkiye consensus.”
The Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration was approved by Parliament in August following months of political consultations over the government’s terror-free Türkiye initiative. The 12-article legislation received broad parliamentary backing, with 468 lawmakers voting in favor, 88 against and six abstaining. It mainly involves deferral of sentences and prosecution, as part of the initiative that paved the way for the dissolution of the PKK.
For decades, the PKK remained the main security threat for Türkiye, and its violent campaign is blamed for the deaths of thousands of people and immense economic losses, especially in southeastern Türkiye. Apart from small nationalist parties, almost all political parties openly supported the initiative, something rare in polarized Turkish politics.
“The era of opposition solely based on opposing what the government did is over. It is a grave mistake to reduce politics to antagonizing the rivals, to a war of attrition, instead of making it a race in offering the best public services. Regional and global developments require us to pursue a new style of politics,” Erdoğan told Parliament amid constant applause from lawmakers from his Justice and Development Party (AK Party). The main opposition New Party (YP) left Parliament’s general assembly hall as Erdoğan took the floor.
“We have two options now: We will either continue with the old way of politics focusing on polarization, or we will build new politics based on finding common ground, finding consensus amid competition,” he said.
“If we are meant to make Türkiye great and strong again, if we are meant to utilize historic opportunities, we have to adapt to this paradigm shift altogether and without losing more time,” he said.
The president said they did not expect all political parties to fully align or have the same opinion.
“Different views are certainly the wealth of Türkiye, Turkish democracy. But all political parties should prioritize Türkiye. Every party should draw power from its own dynamics, its grassroots, to carry out ‘Türkiye-oriented politics,'” Erdoğan said.
“Reconciliation and tolerance should replace conflict and polarization. We have to find common ground on matters essential for every member of our nation. This is what we call the ‘grand Türkiye consensus,'” Erdoğan added.
New constitution
The president also focused on drafting a new constitution. “The goal of a new and civilian constitution is a struggle for Turkish democracy to prove its maturity. Our esteemed Parliament is competent and authorized to draft a constitution under all circumstances and in every period. A new constitution that will broaden Türkiye’s horizons will be the product not of a politics of polarization, but of a new politics based on competition within consensus. Our nation’s longing for a new constitution must not be held hostage by manufactured fears. Our position regarding the first four articles of the Constitution currently in force is clear. Rolling up our sleeves for a new and civilian constitution worthy of the ‘Century of Türkiye’ is a genuine test of sincerity for everyone. I hope the current legislative year will be a year of constitutional reform that expands Türkiye’s opportunities and potential,” he said.
Since the founding of the Republic of Türkiye, constitutional design has served as the backbone of the country’s legal system. The current Constitution, adopted in 1982, has been repeatedly amended over the decades, most notably in 2017, when a national referendum paved the way for the country’s transition from a parliamentary model to an executive presidential system.
Despite numerous amendments over the decades, replacing the 1982 Constitution with a new, civilian-drafted charter remains a prominent issue in Türkiye’s political debate.
Erdoğan and Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş have repeatedly advocated for a new civilian constitution, arguing that the existing charter retains the legacy of military rule under which it was drafted despite extensive subsequent amendments.
Türkiye condemned Thursday a drone attack by Houthis on a power station in the Muslim holy city of Medina, reaffirming its support for Saudi Arabia.
The targeted facility supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second-holiest site. The attack put one transformer out of service but did not affect the electricity network.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said on Thursday that an investigation and examination of drone wreckage confirmed Houthi involvement in planning and carrying out Tuesday’s attack.
“We strongly condemn the Houthis’ attack on civilian infrastructure serving the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“These provocative attacks, which threaten Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and security and target the sacred values of the Islamic world, must cease immediately and unconditionally,” it said.
Saudi Arabia said two weeks ago it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered restricted airspace over the Muslim holy city. The coalition described that incident as the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca since 2017.
The Foreign Ministry emphasized the need to avoid any steps that would further escalate tensions.
“We reaffirm our strong support for Saudi Arabia and emphasize the need to avoid any steps that would further escalate tensions in the region,” the statement said.
Earlier Thursday, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, also condemned the attack on Medina.
The OIC described the targeting of vital infrastructure and facilities as “a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of the sanctity of holy sites,” as well as international and humanitarian laws and norms.
The organization affirmed its full solidarity with Saudi Arabia in measures taken to protect its territory, security and stability, defend Islamic holy sites and safeguard citizens and residents.
The UAE Foreign Ministry said the drone attack constituted “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia and a threat to its security and stability.”
The Saudi-led coalition said the Medina attack was part of what it described as repeated Houthi attempts to target the Two Holy Mosques and “provoke” Muslims worldwide. It said it would continue taking measures to protect the holy sites and pilgrims.
Houthis denied the accusation.
The latest escalation is the most serious fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-aligned Houthis since a U.N.-brokered truce largely halted cross-border attacks in 2022. Hostilities resumed this year after the Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in July and began attacking Saudi territory and shipping, while Houthi forces also made major territorial gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
Saudi Arabia has responded with airstrikes in Yemen and backed government forces fighting to push back the Houthis.
Turkish authorities detained Eyüpsultan Mayor Mithat Bülent Özmen and 27 other suspects earlier Friday as part of a corruption investigation involving the Istanbul district municipality, prosecutors said.
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said detention orders were issued for 28 suspects over allegations including membership in a criminal organization, receiving and giving bribes and bid rigging.
All 28 suspects were detained in simultaneous operations carried out by financial crimes police, according to the prosecutor’s office. Authorities also conducted searches and seizures at addresses linked to the suspects and searched the Republican People’s Party (CHP)-run Eyüpsultan Municipality building.
Prosecutors said the investigation was being conducted in coordination with the Ankara Police Department’s Financial Crimes Investigation Branch.
“The investigation continues in a comprehensive and meticulous manner,” the prosecutor’s office said.
Özmen, who serves as mayor of Istanbul’s Eyüpsultan district, was among those taken into custody.
The detentions are part of an ongoing investigation, and no court has ruled on the allegations against the suspects.
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