Bursa stands with Palestine: Funeral prayer for Gaza victims conveys solidarity
A somber Funeral prayer in absentia was conducted in Bursa, Türkiye, for the three sons and three grandsons of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who lost their lives in the recent attacks on Gaza by the zionist occupation regime.
The event, organized by Bursa Voluntary Organizations and Gaza Solidarity Platform, aimed to express solidarity with the families of the deceased and condemn the ongoing genocide perpetrated by the zionist regime. Following the Friday prayer, attendees joined in solemn prayer to honor the memory of the fallen, reflecting on the tragic loss of life and the urgent need for peace in the region.
Aziz Avar, a representative of the organizing committee, issued a press statement on behalf of the group. He reiterated their steadfast support for the Palestinian cause, condemned the ongoing attacks on Palestine, and called for immediate international intervention to stop the bloodshed. He also urged that those responsible for the violence be held accountable.
“Gaza is a symbol of honor for the entire Islamic Ummah and humanity,” Avar declared. “We give praise to Allah, who bestows honor upon those who strive in His way and adorns those who turn away from His path with the garments of misery. We give praise to our Lord, who throughout history has brought down many oppressors and tyrants who have overstepped their bounds, and who has promised freedom to the oppressed of the earth and the inheritance of the earth to His righteous servants.”
“In the shadow of the genocide perpetrated by Israel since October 7 in Gaza, six months have passed amidst the glorious resistance of the people of Gaza, despite all the deprivations. Israel, which brought the most powerful countries of the region to their knees in the Six-Day War, has not achieved any military success against the Gaza resistance, which has been under blockade for almost twenty years. Gaza, with its resistance, is honorable and sacred. Gaza is also a source of pride for the entire Islamic Ummah and humanity.”
“Despite all of Israel’s attempts at destruction, the people of Gaza have not lost their moral superiority and have become a beacon for humanity. The people of Gaza continue to inspire the Islamic Ummah with their resistance, martyrdom, patience, and trust in Allah, awakening those who are asleep and reviving dead hearts. The Islamic Ummah, on the other hand, has become helpless and is embarrassed by this helplessness,” Avar said.
Avar expressed approval of the export restrictions imposed against the Zionist occupation regime, but deemed them insufficient. He said, "Beyond these measures, we reiterate our demands for the termination of all political, military, economic, and commercial agreements with the Israeli regime. We call for the immediate closure of American bases in Adana’s İncirlik and Malatya’s Kürecik districts, and the cessation of all commercial activities with Israel from all our ports, especially the Port of İskenderun. We demand the identification and revocation of citizenship of dual citizens who went there to support Israel after October 7. We urge the political will to present the facts as they are, without denial, trusting that this nation will take necessary action upon knowing the truth, thereby also preserving their own credibility. Furthermore, we disapprove of the restriction of the right to assembly and demonstration, and the use of disproportionate force against those who participated in demonstrations to cut trade with Israel. We hope such conscience-wounding mistakes will not be repeated."
"We believe that all raging forces will kneel before the beautiful patience of a leader who martyred sixty members of his family in this war," Avar continued. He stated their commitment to continue using the boycott as a weapon to undermine the economic power of Zionism, which he described as the lifeblood of Zionism. "We will work tirelessly for the reconstruction of Gaza and continue our struggle until the Palestinian territories are free from occupation and fully independent. We will continue to speak and do everything within our power, knowing that history will not remain silent even if we do. Our prayers will persist. Neither in Gaza nor in other geographies will we stop until all atrocities are eradicated and all oppressors are held accountable. We believe that Gaza, a symbol of resistance and hope in the world, will also be a symbol of victory. On this occasion, we congratulate Ismail Heniye, the head of the Political Bureau of HAMAS, whose three sons and three grandsons were martyred on the first day of Eid al-Fitr. We believe that all raging forces will kneel before the beautiful patience of a leader who martyred sixty members of his family in this war. This morality surpasses all kinds of weapons, power, and fierceness and will prevail."
"On the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, we congratulate our brothers and sisters for their resilience, sacrifice, and legendary determination in the face of the Zionist war machine," Avar said. "We extend our condolences to our brothers and sisters who were martyred on the path of the Aqsa Flood, the liberation of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque, and wish a speedy recovery to the wounded and the sick. We ask our Almighty Lord to grant freedom to the prisoners in the prisons of the Zionist enemy, and a clear victory to our mujahideen who protect the honor of the Islamic Ummah in all the ribat points of the world, with the permission and power of Allah. Finally, we reiterate that we stand with all the oppressed, we stand with the Kassam mujahideen, we stand against the oppressors until the last drop of our blood, and we will continue to struggle until there is no persecution on earth and the religion is completely Allah's." (ILKHA)