SACRAMENTO, California — “Free, free Palestine” was the rallying cry at McClatchy High School as students walked out of class to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza facing dire situations amid the Israel-Hamas war.
So far, more than 3,500 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks, and many others have been stripped of food, water and power under Israel’s complete siege of Gaza — a 140-square-mile enclave where more than 2 million Palestinians live.
Students came together to raise awareness about the growing humanitarian crisis, and they hope the walkout will keep people engaged with what's happening in the Middle East.
The origins of the conflict can be traced back to the late 19th century predating the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 and the founding of Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, in 1987. On Oct. 7, Hamas launched a cross-border attack into Israel and took hostages. Hamas said it launched its attacks because of the continued suffering of Palestinians under Israeli military occupation and the increase of settler violence in the West Bank, as well as a blockade in Gaza.
WATCH: The complex history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict explained | Race and Culture
"Some people might ask, 'Hey, what's the point of this if this isn't going to change anything in Palestine?' but the point of this is saying, 'Hey, we are out here. Even though we're so far away, we can do what we can to be able to show that you guys over there are not alone.'” said Jamarie Crawford, a senior at McClatchy High School. “And if we change one person's mind today, we change one person's way of thinking today about this issue, then that is a win.”
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As the next generation of leaders, Rania Farouk, a student at McClatchy High School, organized the walkout to help her peers “use their voices for the better.” She encourages her peers to reach out to their local representatives about any concerns they have about the war as well as educating themselves about what's going on.
Some students wanted to emphasize that this event was not to spread antisemitism.
“This walkout is entirely in solidarity with Gaza and all the children and innocent civilians who are murdered,” said Crawford.
ABC10 reached out to the Sacramento City Unified School District for a statement. The district responded:
“Sacramento City Unified was aware of a walkout event at C.K. McClatchy High School that was led by a group of students on Wednesday. SCUSD does not sanction walkouts of students during the school day. However, school safety personnel were on site to help ensure the safety of students who wished to express their civil discourse through a peaceful protest... At Sacramento City Unified, we are firm believers that diversity is our school district’s greatest asset and provides countless opportunities for learning and understanding.”
The school district says if any student is in need of help or social-emotional support, they can reach out immediately to the Student Support Center staff at their school or call 916-643-2360.
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