While Police continue to raid pro-Palestine encampments across US campuses, Princeton University students remain undeterred as they have started a hunger strike in solidarity with millions of innocents killed in Gaza amid Israel's war against terrorist group Hamas.
Israel launched a war against Hamas after facing an unprecedented attack from the terror organisation last October, in which at least 1,200 Israelis lost their lives. However, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Hamas-controlled Gaza has claimed that over 33,000 Palestinians, mostly innocent women and children, were killed in the conflict so far.
In a statement, the Princeton Gaza Solidarity Encampment group blamed Israel for deliberately blocking an access to essential commodities, engineering a severe famine for Gaza's two million citizens.
“Since the announcement on October 9th by the Israeli Defense Minister prohibiting the entry of food, fuel, and electricity into the Gaza strip, Israel has systematically obstructed and limited access to vital aid for Palestinians in Gaza, even intentionally destroying existing cropland,” the release continued.
“The consequences of the unprecedented famine, created and maintained by Israel, will devastate Gaza’s children for generations to come and cannot be tolerated any longer," it added.
{{/usCountry}}“The consequences of the unprecedented famine, created and maintained by Israel, will devastate Gaza’s children for generations to come and cannot be tolerated any longer," it added.
{{/usCountry}}According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there is a surge in number of children dying from malnutrition and dehydration in Gaza.
The group claimed to be following in the footsteps of Palestinian political prisoners who have been staging saltwater-only hunger strikes in Israeli prisons since 1968. They said they have launched the hunger strike in response to the administration's failure to divest from Israel.
A look at Princeton University students' demands
The students, who participated in the strike, stated that they will only drink water until the university authorities hold a meeting with them to discuss their demands for transparency, divestment, and a "full academic and cultural boycott of Israel."
They also demand that the administration ensure student protestors complete immunity from all criminal and disciplinary actions.
According to Daily Princeton, at least 17 undergraduates initially joined the strike.
“I think we are resorting to a hunger strike. I think we were forced into this position, really,” said Sameer Riaz, one of the protestors.
Out of 17, 15 students of the university continue to remain on hunger strike that was kicked off on Friday, said organisers.
In a statement, the university informed that Melissa Marks, medical service director at University Health Services (UHS), met with strikers and has been in touch with the doctors monitoring the protestors.
Over 2,000 students demonstrators have been taken into custody since the US campuses launched anti-Israel protest, as per Washington Post report.