College students' protests against the war in Gaza and their hopes post-ceasefire
By Ann Crosby ‘25
Photo of pro-Palestine and pro-Israeli protestors.
Courtesy of LHS Magpipe
The war in Gaza spread far beyond the Middle East last year when protests erupted around the world. In Jan., thousands of people took to the streets to protest the war in support of Palestine. This continued throughout the year; student protests at Columbia University in New York City (NYC) became breaking news only a few months later.
Only three days after the Oct. 7 attack in Israel, the new president at Columbia University, Minouche Shafik, was inaugurated. Immediately, she faced conflicting demands from wealthy donors, faculty, and students.
Students were split – with some calling for Columbia to divest from Israel and others reporting anti-semitic behavior. Shafik took minimal action against the anti-semitic events, which became a pattern at many U.S. universities. Thus, on Apr. 17, Shafik was asked to testify before Congress to explain the antisemitism on Columbia’s campus.
However, unbeknownst to Shafik, the Columbia students were planning to protest the war in Gaza in support of Palestine. Before Shafik’s testimony began, students assembled on Columbia’s campus, in quads, lawns, and in the streets. Shafik promised to end anti-semitism on Columbia’s campus; however, this led to a complicated situation with the protestors.
Most of the pro-Palestinian protesters were demanding that Columbia University divest from Israel. Many of them insisted that their rhetoric was not anti-semitic, although some instances of antisemitism were reported among both Columbia students and the broader NYC public.
On Apr.18, Shafik sought assistance from the New York Police Department (NYPD), which resulted in the arrest of several protesters while others faced suspensions. However, the NYPD's actions sparked nationwide protests against the war in Gaza on many college campuses. Pro-Palestinian students organized encampments, occupied college buildings, and compiled lists of demands.
The most common demand among the protesters was for colleges to divest from Israel. However, this is challenging for institutions, as their budgets often rely on wealthy donors. Frustrated with the limited actions of their institutions, students continued to rally in support of Palestine for several weeks.
In Portland, Ore., at Portland State University (PSU), protesters called for the university to support a cease-fire in Gaza, divest from Israel, and cut ties with companies that supply weapons to the Israeli military. PSU president Ann Cudd responded by pausing financial connections with Boeing, a company that aids the Israeli military.
The protesters' other unmet demands prompted them to enter and occupy the PSU library. Library workers have reported feeling traumatized and unsafe, and many are hesitant to return to work. The occupation, along with the protests in general, has led to increased distrust between faculty and students, causing some students to feel silenced on campus.
Cudd called the Portland Police Department to exterminate the protesters from the library, however, the damage had already been done. The university faced over $75,000 in damages from vandalism in the library and pledged to work with the police department to prosecute those arrested.
Similar scenarios to those of PSU and Columbia played out for months on U.S. college campuses. Heads of schools were forced to step down, and many students felt silenced on both sides of the issue. Students protesting the war felt that their First Amendment rights were being infringed, while Jewish students and faculty felt overlooked and unsafe.
In fact, in 2024, the number of mid-year transfers among university students skyrocketed compared to the previous years. This is largely due to Jewish students leaving their universities in response to the protests and incidents of antisemitism.
However, once universities finished their spring terms and students returned home, the protests seemed to die down. Many questioned what would happen in Aug. and Sept. of 2024 when students returned, and while there were occasional protests, most campuses remained safe and protest-free.
These protests highlighted a significant social dilemma that has permeated the U.S. since the onset of the war in Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, and even extends back many years to the foundation of Israel. Tensions surrounding the war have moved beyond university campuses and into everyday life, causing many Americans to reevaluate their own positions on the conflict.
However, as of Jan. 19, 2025, a ceasefire has taken place in Gaza, with Hamas agreeing to free hostages in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. This marks the beginning of a three-step truce that each party has agreed to, hopefully bringing peace to the region.
In the U.S., many college students on both sides of the aisle are celebrating the cease-fire. For example, a student at Northwestern University (NU) said, “I think the ceasefire will have great (positive) consequences on NU’s small community, people will finally start to look at each other and perceive each other’s differences, but not (view each other) as an enemy.” Reconciling differences and finding common ground seemed virtually impossible a few months ago; however, sentiments similar to this student’s show clear progress.
While some students are excited to resume college in a less divisive environment, others are relieved for the people in Gaza. In an interview with AZ General (Arizona University’s newspaper), Natanael Damian, a leader with Students for Justice in Palestine, said "We all breathe with a sigh of relief that the bloodshed that began 15 months ago has come to an end." On the other hand, the GW Hatchet (George Washinton University’s newspaper) interviewed Sean Shekhman, the president of GW for Israel, who said, “I seriously, seriously hope that this could be the end of what has been a very long, very long period of conflict in the area.”
In general, students across the US feel hopeful about the ceasefire, and many see it as an opportunity to deescalate social tensions that have intensified since Oct. 7.