New York police intervened in an anti-genocide encampment at New York University (NYU) at the university’s request. Aerial images revealed no resistance from protesters during the police operation, which resulted in dozens of arrests not only at NYU but also at the nearby New School, adding to the tally of over 2,000 nationwide arrests in pro-Palestine demonstrations involving students.
In recent weeks, anti-genocide demonstrations have surged across college campuses in the United States. On Wednesday night, as police arrested over 300 demonstrators across various campuses.
At institutions such as the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), over 200 students were detained as law enforcement cleared a fortified encampment. Similar scenes unfolded at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, where more than 90 students were taken to police custody.
A police crackdown occurred on protests at the University of New Hampshire and the University of Buffalo. In Oregon, tensions escalated as police moved into the school’s library on Thursday, which had been occupied by demonstrators since Monday.
President Joe Biden pointed out the fundamental principles of the United States as a nation that values freedom of speech and dissent. “Peaceful protest is protected, but violence is not,” Biden claimed during a recent statement. He criticised acts of vandalism, trespassing, and campus shutdowns as antithetical to the essence of peaceful protest.
Responding to inquiries about potential further intervention, Biden expressed his belief that it was not the appropriate time to deploy the National Guard. Instead, he pointed out the need for dialogue and understanding to navigate the complexities of these demonstrations.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom announced new sanctions targeting “extremist Israeli groups” and individuals linked to violence in the occupied West Bank. The sanctions are directed at two groups and four individuals directly involved in attacks against Palestinian civilians.
Amid the ongoing efforts by humanitarian aid organisations to alleviate the sufferings of the Palestinians, World Health Organisation (WHO) reports marginal improvement in food availability. Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in Palestinian territories, noted increased access to basic and diversified food compared to previous months, particularly in the north, where conditions were worse. Residents were compelled to eating animal feed or weeds.
Ahmed Dahir from the WHO’s Gaza sub-office team highlighted the persistent challenge of many people lacking the financial means to purchase food, indicating the risk of famine has not yet passed. Despite incremental progress, the hunger continues in the region.
Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the UN body OCHA, warned that an Israeli incursion into Rafah would imperil the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza.
Despite calls for ceasefire, Israel continues its attacks on Gaza, killing 26 Palestinians and injuring 51 others in the past 24-hour period.
The Israeli military bombed a house in Gaza’s Rafah, killing seven people, including four children.
The United Nations estimates that the task of rebuilding Gaza will require as much as $40 billion and will necessitate a scale of coordination and resources unseen since World War II.
Isreal, with unconditional support from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and other western governments, has killed at least 34,622 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounded 77,867 others since 7 October. Israeli forces have also destroyed nearly 75 percent of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, including homes, hospitals, schools, and places of worship, while also blocking the entry of essential aid into the occupied enclave, pushing the population of 2.5 million people to starvation.
