Fahri Yaldiz, 43

Fahdri Yaldiz personally knew the pain of being an orphan, and had a deep sympathy for the children of Gaza who had lost their parents.  He joined the Flotilla specifically to bring them aid.  He was born in 1967 in a village of Besni District, and was the oldest of five brothers.   After losing his father, he had to work to support his family at a young age.  He worked for the Municipality of Adiyaman. He was a skilled electrician, and had search and rescue experience as a firefighter. He also owned a small confectionary shop where he raised money for his charitable work. 

He helped raise funds for the Flotilla beforehand and organized a fund-raising fair in Adiyaman for the IHH “Palestine Our Route, Humanitarian Aid Our Load” campaign.  He volunteered his electrical skills, search & rescue experience, and professional fire-fighting expertise to the Flotilla.  Before he left he hugged his mother, his family and his friends and asked them for forgiveness.  He left behind four sons. Fahri was shot with five bullets: 2 to his left leg, 2 to his right, and a fatal one in his chest.

A Swedish volunteer, Mattias Gardellon, the Mavi Marmara, along with his wife, the historian Edda Manga, described the Israeli actions as   “…a military attack on a humanitarian aid operation far out in international waters.”   They concluded “It was a very surprising and aggressive overreaction by Israel.”

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Dr. Jacqueline Casale Taylor Basker