As the Gaza conflict enters its third year, a wave of global activism is reshaping the cultural and political landscape, with musicians, youth movements, and international organizations taking unprecedented steps to protest what many now call the genocide of Palestinians. The anniversary of the war, which has claimed over 67,000 Palestinian lives—including at least 20,000 children—has become a rallying point for artists, activists, and ordinary citizens worldwide, determined to challenge the complicity of governments and corporations in the ongoing tragedy.
On October 10, 2025, musicians Lucy Dacus and Clairo publicly announced their participation in the "No Music For Genocide" campaign, joining over a thousand global artists and record labels in geo-blocking their music from all Israeli streaming platforms. According to DIVA Magazine, this cultural boycott is not just a symbolic gesture but a “tangible act” intended to honor Palestinian calls for international isolation of Israel, echoing the historic boycotts that helped dismantle apartheid in South Africa. The campaign’s mission statement argues, “Our creative work grants us agency and power,” underscoring the belief that neutrality is no longer an option for professional industries in times of crisis.
Dacus and Clairo’s activism is not new. Both have previously supported the Artists4Ceasefire movement, which unites musicians, actors, and creatives in calling for an immediate end to hostilities in Gaza. In October 2023, Clairo released her song "Lavender," dedicating all proceeds to Doctors Without Borders to support medical aid in Gaza. Her activism was further spotlighted during her 2025 Coachella performance, when U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders made a surprise appearance to introduce her set, praising her commitment to humanitarian causes.
Other prominent musicians have joined the boycott, including Lorde, Hayley Williams, Wolf Alice, AURORA, Rina Sawayama, MUNA, and Japanese Breakfast. At Glastonbury in June 2025, Wolf Alice’s lead vocalist Ellie Rowsell told the crowd, “Before we go, we want to express our solidarity with the people of Palestine.” These actions, according to DIVA Magazine, represent a broadening resistance to what activists describe as "art-washing"—the use of cultural engagement to distract from or legitimize state violence.
Meanwhile, on the streets of Turkey, pro-Palestine activism has taken on a more perilous tone. On July 22, 2024, Cemre Nayir and about 30 members of Thousand Youth for Palestine attempted to disrupt the IDEF 2025 Turkish Armed Forces Foundation fair in Istanbul, an event attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and featuring numerous weapons manufacturers with Israeli business ties. Turkish authorities responded with sweeping road closures and police blockades, forcing the activists to protest two kilometers away. The crackdown did not end there: police conducted late-night raids, arresting 16 activists—including Ismail Çelik, who spent over two months in Silvri Prison on charges of "insulting the president." Çelik’s alleged crime was chanting, “murderer Israel, collaborator Erdogan.”
Pro-Palestine activists in Turkey are no strangers to state surveillance and suppression. Sena Eğri, another organizer, described being followed by plainclothes officers and facing police violence. “They’re constantly following us … sometimes I can feel that someone is watching me when I’m just walking on the street,” she told reporters. The Turkish government claims it has severed all trade with Israel, a stance reiterated repeatedly in the face of mounting public pressure. Yet, as Reuters and activist groups have documented, shipping data tells a different story: Turkish ports continue to send shipments to Israel, including vital oil supplies via the Baku Tbilisi Ceyhan Pipeline, which provides up to 40% of Israel’s oil needs.
Despite official denials, Turkish harbor masters have only made informal requests for port agents to pledge that shipments are not destined for Israel, with some shipping companies resorting to tactics like changing flags or disabling tracking systems to evade scrutiny. Turkish corporations such as Koc Holdings, Sabanci Holdings, and Zorlu Holdings maintain close ties with the ruling AK party, though Zorlu Energy recently announced its withdrawal from Israel under public pressure. According to official Bank of Israel data, Turkish imports to Israel have plummeted from $550 million per month at the start of 2024 to $100-200 million by year’s end—a drop activists attribute to boycotts and increased scrutiny.
Public sentiment in Turkey is shifting. Once a point of pride for the government, its supposed support for Palestine is now met with skepticism. Nayir, who also organizes with the Polen Ecology Collective, believes the government’s image as a protector of Palestinians has been “completely destroyed.” Demands for a full embargo—including an end to intelligence sharing with Israel from NATO bases—are gaining traction, and activists report less public backlash than in previous years.
The risks, however, remain high. Police brutality, arrests, and even deportation threats are commonplace for those who challenge Ankara’s policies. Çelik’s release on the eve of the October 7 anniversary was a rare victory; just days later, he stood before another police barricade in Istanbul, addressing 200 protesters outside SOCAR’s office. Speaking without a microphone, he asked, “So I ask you all: is it not hypocrisy to say ‘we cut trade’ while oil is still going from your country to murderer Israel, while you arrest your country’s Palestine activists, throwing them in jail … and saying selam to [other] Palestine activists? Everything is plainly visible and the necessary actions are clear. We must set all ideologies and opinions aside, and unite on the cause of the Palestinian people.”
Internationally, the debate over complicity is intensifying. According to Green Left, U.S. President Donald Trump’s warm reception at Israel’s Knesset underscored the depth of American support for Israel’s military campaign. The article alleges that a lasting ceasefire was possible as early as July 2024, when Hamas reportedly agreed to release the remaining Israeli hostages, but the Trump administration chose instead to continue arming Israel. Australia and other Western governments have also faced scrutiny for their roles in supplying weapons and components, particularly for the F-35 fighter jet program.
Over the last two years, Israeli forces have dropped 200,000 tonnes of bombs on Gaza—an amount equivalent to 13 Hiroshima atomic bombs. Between 70,000 and 200,000 Palestinians have been killed, with a leaked Israeli intelligence report estimating that 83% of the casualties were civilians. Even after the most recent ceasefire, Israel has continued restricting aid trucks into Gaza, citing unresolved issues over the remains of Israeli hostages.
UN experts have called for an immediate end to arms transfers to Israel, warning that states and companies risk complicity in human rights violations. Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, specifically named Lockheed Martin and its F-35 supply chain as enhancing Israel’s capacity to continue its military operations. The UN panel concluded, “Arms initiate, sustain, exacerbate, and prolong armed conflicts, as well as other forms of oppression, hence the availability of arms is an essential precondition for the commission of war crimes and violations of human rights.”
As the world watches, the convergence of cultural boycotts, grassroots activism, and mounting international scrutiny is creating new pressure points in the struggle for Palestinian rights. Whether these efforts will tip the scales remains uncertain, but for many activists, the goal is clear: to force governments and corporations to choose between complicity and accountability, and to ensure that solidarity is more than just a slogan.