Despite a full lockdown aimed at curbing coronavirus cases, the protesters in Istanbul, including Syrians and Palestinians, carried Palestinian flags while chanting, "Turkish soldiers to Gaza" and "Down with Israel, down with America."

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, meanwhile, spoke to Middle East leaders about the rising violence.

Erdoğan spoke by phone with King Abdullah of Jordan, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, as well as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. 

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu discussed the issue with his counterparts in Iran, Algeria, Pakistan and Russia.