A leading organizer of the Global Sumud Flotilla praised Türkiye's role in international solidarity efforts for Palestinians, saying Turkish participants and supporters have been central to sustaining the movement aimed at challenging Israel's blockade of Gaza and raising awareness about the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territories.
J. Zacharias Crist, a boat organizer and activist with the Global Sumud Flotilla, said he witnessed firsthand the significant contribution of Turkish citizens and Muslim communities to the initiative.
"I saw personally that Muslims, and especially Turks because we departed from Türkiye, were the backbone of this movement," Crist told Anadolu Agency (AA) on the sidelines of an international youth summit in Istanbul. "Without them, it would have been much more difficult for the movement to begin and to continue after the intervention."
Crist spoke during the "Cut to the Chase: Truth Beyond Borders" international youth summit, organized by Marmara Anatolian Imam Hatip High School under the hosting of Boğazici University.
The activist, who converted to Islam nearly two decades ago and later settled in Türkiye, said his participation in the flotilla deepened his understanding of the challenges faced by Palestinians living under Israeli occupation and blockade.
