Demonstrations held on the University of Wisconsin campus Wednesday paid recognition to the current status of the Israel-Hamas war. The demonstrations took place as a truce between the state of Israel and Hamas — a militant group that governs the Gaza Strip and is classified by the U.S. as a terrorist group — entered its sixth day, after being extended two days Monday.
Throughout the day, Jewish student organizations and Jewish campus foundations sponsored a vigil on Library Mall throughout the day to display “support for the Israeli hostages seized by Hamas,” according to a sign on display at the vigil. A chair was set up for each hostage — both in captivity and freedom — with the goal of raising awareness and spreading “love and allyship” to people held hostage and their families.
At the time this article was written, the state of Israel believes 161 people are still being held hostage in Gaza, including 146 Israelis and 15 foreign nationals, according to NBC News. Of the remaining hostages, 126 are men, 35 are women and eight are under the age of 20, according to NBC.
Late Wednesday morning, a “die-in demonstration” took place at Bascom Hill to “mourn the loss” of Palestinians in Gaza, according to an Instagram post made by Students for Justice in Palestine UW–Madison.
At the demonstration, participants laid on the ground to “give a representation of those who have been killed by Israel’s brutal bombardment,” according to the Instagram post. Additional signs at the demonstration listed the names of civilians who have been killed.
At the time this article was written, 180 Palestinians have been freed from Israeli prisons since the initial truce began Friday, according to the Associated Press, but the number of Palestinians still being held in Israeli prisons could not be independently identified by The Badger Herald.
Wednesday’s demonstrations follow previous demonstrations held on the UW campus since initial attacks were made on Israel by Hamas Oct. 7.
