Palestine Friendly Match in Turkey Ends Early Amid Anti-Israel Protests

A friendly soccer match between the Palestinian national team and Turkish club Konyaspor, held in Konya, Turkey, was halted at the 89th minute and 59 seconds. The game, attended by approximately 42,000 spectators including Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, was stopped as a gesture of solidarity with Gaza, with organizers stating it was "postponed until Palestine is free." Throughout the match, the stadium served as a platform for political messages against Israel, with fans displaying banners and Tifos. One prominent display read, "Silence is for when children sleep, not when they die." Another moment involved the stadium lights being turned off for 10 minutes and 14 seconds to commemorate what organizers claimed were 1,014 "Palestinian sports figures" killed in Israeli strikes since October 7, 2023, accompanied by fans throwing toys and confetti onto the field. Following the game, Turkish Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak and other local officials presented flowers to the Palestinian team. Notably, one player on the Palestinian squad, defender Ahmed Taha, is registered with Hapoel Kfar Qassem in Israel. This is not the first time Taha has been called up to the Palestinian team, and despite his club's attempts to distance themselves from him, he remains affiliated while participating in events critical of Israel.