A University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) student was hospitalised after fainting on the ninth day of a hunger strike which was executed to show support for people in Gaza facing famine, Middle East Eye reported on May 20th.
Maya Abdullah, a 23-year-old Palestinian Lebanese film student, said she collapsed during a protest on May 18th. She was immediately rushed to the hospital after choking on bile due to not having eaten for nine days.
She described the incident in an Instagram video, noting her elevated heart rate raised concerns among hospital staff about potential damage to her heart. The UCLA administration didn’t respond to her hospitalisation, she said that the lack of communication was “disheartening”.
Abdullah’s protest coincided with ongoing hunger strikes at other campuses, including Stanford University, Yale University, and several California State University (CSU) branches.
Protesters across these campuses are demanding that their universities cut ties with companies supplying weapons or surveillance technology to Israel, particularly in light of Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
At Stanford, 24 students and three faculty members are currently participating in a hunger strike. One unnamed organiser said the strike had been physically challenging but was emotionally reinforced by daily community gatherings.
He said Stanford’s administration visited the protest site and that the demonstration may violate university rules. The administration threatened possible disciplinary consequences against organisers, including Students for Justice in Palestine.
Assistant professor Natalie Zahr from Stanford’s psychiatry and behavioural science department said she wanted to join the strike, calling the situation in Gaza “months of horror” and expressing frustration over the perceived silence of institutions.
At Yale University, seven students and one staff member are on hunger strike, with some participants reporting health concerns including dangerously low glucose levels, hypertension, and lack of rest.
Students have been gathering daily outside Sheffield-Sterling-Strathcona Hall, and student dean Melanie Boyd issued warnings of disciplinary measures for those congregating indoors. A student spokesperson said the group had collectively lost 70 pounds and criticised the university’s handling of the protest.
California State University campuses have also seen hunger strikes since May 5th. After nearly two weeks without food, CSU Long Beach students arranged a meeting with university president Jane Conoley and the vice president Beth Lesen. While the administration declined to sever ties with companies such as Boeing and Raytheon, CSU Long Beach stated that it had maintained contact with hunger strikers throughout and encouraged alternative forms of protest.
The students ended their hunger strike on May 16th and will begin preparing a long-term strategy for the next academic year.
Middle East Eye
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