Gaza
A ceremony to commemorate the victims of the Mavi Marmara raid was held on the third anniversary on Friday at Gaza port.
Kemal Ozturk, the Anadolu Agency Executive Board Chairman and Director General, who was in Gaza for the inauguration of the agency's Gaza office, delivered a speech at the ceremony where authorities representing the Foreign Ministry of Palestine in Gaza and the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (IHH) and head of Anadolu Agency Arabic Desk Turan Kislakci were also present.
Ozturk stated the Mavi Marmara flotilla attack marked one of the deepest sorrows of Turkey in history.
Stating that nine people were killed and tens others were wounded, Ozturk said, "I'd like to say something to the brave children of Palestine. The Palestine issue is the issue of all Muslims. And the Muslim community expects one thing from you. They expect Palestinian brothers reconcile. And hopefully we will be first to announce their news of making peace."
Gaza representative of IHH Mehmet Kaya sent his condolences and added, "Muslims from Turkey are always on your side and hopefully will be until Palestine is freed."
Gazi Hammad, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Palestinian government in Gaza, thanked for Turkish people's interest in the Palestine issue and reiterated it was the concern of the Muslim world.
Muhammed Hindi, speaking on behalf of the resistance groups in Palestine, reminded Mavi Marmara began its journey to break the blockade and added the people aboard the ship had already taken their place in history.
Turkish and Palestinian flags alongside the photos of the nine people killed during the attack were displayed during the ceremony.
Mavi Marmara, a ship in Gaza-bound aid flotilla, organized by the Free Gaza Movement and IHH in 2010 was carrying humanitarian aid and construction materials with the intention of breaking the Israeli-Egyptian blockade on the Gaza Strip.
On May 31, 2010, Israeli soldiers boarded the ships from speedboats and helicopters to attack, and killed nine Turks aboard, which worsened the relations between Turkey and Israel.
