Erdoğan Leads Eid Prayer at Istanbul's Grand Çamlıca Mosque, Calls for Unity and Gaza Solidarity

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended Eid al-Adha prayers on Wednesday at Istanbul's magnificent Grand Çamlıca Mosque, using the occasion of the Festival of Sacrifice to send a message of unity — both for Turkey and for the broader Muslim world.

Speaking after the prayers, Erdoğan emphasised the importance of solidarity with the people of Gaza, who continue to endure the devastation of war. The president's remarks came as Muslims around the world marked one of the most important days on the Islamic calendar, with millions gathering for prayers from Jakarta to Cairo to Istanbul.

"Eid is a time to remember those who are suffering, to stand with the oppressed, and to renew our commitment to justice," Erdoğan said. "We cannot celebrate while our brothers and sisters in Gaza are being killed and starved."

The Grand Çamlıca Mosque, which sits on a hill overlooking the Bosphorus and can hold tens of thousands of worshippers, was filled to capacity for the occasion. The scene was a powerful display of faith and political consciousness intertwined — a reminder that in the Middle East, the spiritual and the political are never far apart.

Erdoğan's emphasis on Gaza solidarity is consistent with Turkey's foreign policy posture, which has increasingly positioned Ankara as a vocal critic of Israel's military operations and a defender of Palestinian rights. Whether that translates into concrete diplomatic action remains to be seen.

But for the millions who prayed on Wednesday, the message was clear: the people of Gaza are not forgotten.

This is Malik Hassan for Global1 News, reporting from Beirut. 🇱🇧