Protesters in Diyarbakır denounce Western hypocrisy over Gaza genocide
A protest organized by the Prophet’s Lovers Foundation in Diyarbakır’s Yenişehir district drew thousands of demonstrators demanding justice and urgent action for Gaza.
The event, held in the Ofis neighborhood, featured impassioned speeches from political and social leaders who highlighted the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and its broader implications for the Islamic world.
Yahya Oğraş, Vice President of HÜDA PAR, addressed the demonstrators with a sobering message about the plight of Palestinians. He described the devastating toll of the Israeli assault on Gaza, emphasizing the impact on the most vulnerable: “Twelve thousand students and 800 educators have been martyred, while nearly 800,000 students are deprived of their right to education. These children, like our own, deserve to grow up with dignity, shelter, and opportunities. Instead, they are subjected to unimaginable suffering by the forces of evil.”
Oğraş painted a bleak picture of Gaza’s decimated infrastructure and called attention to the international community's failure to protect Palestinian civilians. He warned that the crisis in Gaza could foreshadow greater turmoil for the Islamic world if the Ummah remains passive. “What has happened there could happen here. Bad odours are beginning to emanate from our lands. They are sowing seeds of discord in our geography to destabilize and divide us further,” he cautioned.
Following Oğraş, Habip Akdoğan delivered a fiery press statement on behalf of the Prophet Lovers Foundation. Akdoğan condemned the global silence in the face of what he described as one of the gravest humanitarian crises in modern history. “More than 50,000 Muslims, two-thirds of them women and children, have been massacred in Gaza. The region has become a cemetery for the innocent, and the world’s inaction is now etched as the blackest chapter in human history,” he declared.
Akdoğan detailed the scale of destruction in Gaza, where hospitals, schools, mosques, and basic civilian infrastructure have been systematically targeted. He revealed staggering statistics: over 11,000 people remain trapped under rubble, 785,000 students have been deprived of education, and 204 temporary shelters for displaced families have been bombed. “This is not just the destruction of a city but the annihilation of an entire people. Gaza’s plight is a testament to the death of humanity, where basic rights, justice, and compassion no longer exist,” he said.
Akdoğan also lambasted the duplicity of international organizations and rights advocates, accusing them of selective morality. “Declarations on human rights, women, and children are mere rhetoric, valid only when they serve their interests. The defenders of women’s rights have turned a blind eye to the thousands of women burned alive in Gaza. The hypocrisy is glaring,” he stated.
He highlighted the disproportionate toll on women and children, pointing out that 70% of Gaza’s casualties are from these groups. “25,000 children and 15,000 women have been massacred. The Zionist regime has turned Gaza into a graveyard for the innocent. Where is the justice? Where is the humanity?” he questioned.
The protest’s speakers put forth a set of urgent demands, emphasizing the need for collective action from the Islamic world and the international community. Akdoğan urged Islamic nations to unite politically, militarily, and economically to stop the genocide.
Key demands included:
1-Recognizing HAMAS as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and supporting its conditions for a permanent ceasefire.
2-Establishing regional alliances to counter Zionist expansionist policies and providing military, logistical, and technological support to Palestinian resistance.
3-Imposing an international boycott on products and trade that benefit the Zionist regime, including halting oil shipments via third-party countries.
4-Enacting laws targeting Zionist individuals implicated in genocide, particularly those with dual citizenship.
5-Enforcing International Criminal Court rulings to arrest and prosecute Zionist leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for war crimes.
Akdoğan called for decisive measures to end the suffering in Gaza, rebuild its infrastructure, and ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid. “The world must rise against the barbarism of the Zionist regime. The states of conscience must no longer remain silent spectators,” he asserted.
Speakers at the protest also expressed concern over the broader implications of the crisis, warning that the destabilization of Gaza is part of a larger strategy to fragment the Islamic world. Oğraş cautioned against complacency, urging unity and vigilance. “The Ummah has been shattered by nationalism, borders, and divisions. It is time to reclaim our collective strength and uphold justice and dignity for all,” he said.
The protest concluded with a powerful message of solidarity for Gaza. Akdoğan reaffirmed the participants’ commitment to defending the Palestinian cause until justice is achieved. “We will not rest until the Zionist occupation regime is thrown into the sea and wiped off the map,” he proclaimed.
The demonstrators echoed this sentiment, chanting slogans in support of Gaza’s resistance and denouncing global inaction. With banners calling for justice and an end to oppression, the protest served as a resounding reminder of the urgent need for collective action to address one of the most pressing humanitarian crises of our time. (ILKHA)