Gaza Genocide · updated 1h ago · 2 min read
Konyaspor And Palestine Draw 2-2 In Konya Friendly As Erdogan Praises Solidarity
Konyaspor and Palestine reserve team drew 2-2 in Konya. Fans displayed pro-Palestinian banners and chants during the Palestine Day event.
12 outlets told this the same way.
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5 of 6 outlets skipped it: stadium lights went off during tributes to children killed.
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Konya friendly turns symbolic
Konyaspor and the Palestine national team drew 2-2 in a friendly match in Konya that carried tributes to Palestinians killed during the conflict and ended with the game stopped at 89:59 as a symbolic gesture.
The stadium lights were turned off around the 10th minute and a video showing the names of children killed in Israeli attacks since Oct. 7, 2023 was shown on the stadium screens.
Konyaspor fans displayed messages of solidarity and prepared a choreography before kickoff that read, "When children are sleeping, be silent, not when they are dying."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised the fixture as an "exceptional example of the brotherhood, solidarity and unity of hearts between our countries" and tied it to the ongoing "tragedy and genocide" in Palestine and Gaza.
Messages, crowds, and officials
Palestinian sports official Jibril Rajoub said the match came from efforts and contacts with parties within the Organization of Islamic Cooperation aimed at easing Palestinians’ suffering and highlighting resilience. Rajoub described the slogan "Our home is your home" as a message that the stadium in Konya is Palestine’s stadium and Palestine is playing at home.
Turkish fans showed support for Palestine at a friendly fixture between Konyaspor and the Palestine national team in Konya, with pro-Palestinian tifos and banners. Erdogan thanked local supporters in Konya who packed the 42,000-capacity stadium to welcome the Palestinian national squad and openly show collective backing for the Palestinian cause.
“Until Palestine is free”
The friendly match was symbolically suspended one second before the end of regular time when the message appeared on the stadium screens: "The match has been suspended until Palestine is free". The players took to the field with the banner "Palestine free" and fans unfurled a giant banner that read "silence is for children when they sleep, not when they die".
The match concluded in a 2-2 draw at Konya Metropolitan Municipality Stadium after officials stopped play one second before the final whistle. Turkish fans displayed pro-Palestinian tifos and banners during the Konyaspor and Palestine national team friendly in Konya as the event’s support for Palestine played out in the stands.