Calling for Gaza cease-fire, hundreds of NYC students walk out
- The war between Israel and Hamas is approaching a fifth week
- Nearly 800 students participated citywide in the walkout
- They gathered to call for a cease-fire and show support for Palestinians
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NEW YORK (NewsNation) — Hundreds of students walked out of class Thursday in Brooklyn in support of Palestinians in Gaza as well as a cease-fire in the region.
According to NewsNation affiliate WPIX in New York, the walkout was held without incident, and at least 770 students participated citywide, a spokesperson for the Department of Education said.
In a video posted on the Citizen app, students wearing hoodies and backpacks chanted, “Free, free, Palestine. From the river to the sea.” A few NYPD officers blocked traffic in the streets for the student demonstration.
New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks sent a letter Wednesday to staff members warning of potential violations of the Department of Education’s policy on political speech, according to a report from Chalkbeat.
Protests and demonstrations surrounding the Israel-Hamas war have snarled traffic and clogged city streets for weeks.
The World Health Organization (WHO) this week sounded the alarm over a “humanitarian and public health catastrophe” in the Gaza Strip, where civilians are packing into crowded shelters, and resources are dwindling.
Meanwhile, more than 100 attacks have directly impacted health care in Gaza, killing or injuring nearly 1,000 people as of Nov. 4, according to the WHO.
More than 23,000 people have been injured in Gaza since Oct. 7. As of this week, 14 of the region’s 35 hospitals are no longer functioning.
NewsNation reporter Katie Smith contributed to this report.
