Protestors at the University of Oregon began a hunger strike Monday, in an effort to bring attention to starvation in Gaza.
Around 470,000 people in Gaza are facing "catastrophic hunger," according to a UN-backed report released last week. As NPR reported Monday, Israel has now promised to ease its months-long blockade and allow some food into the region.
In Eugene, some UO students and employees announced that they would stop eating starting Monday morning, in order to pressure local leaders to respond to the crisis.
"We don't want them to be able to ignore this," said Phia Dornberg, an organizer with UO Jewish Voice for Peace. "We want them to know that people are suffering, that students care, and that they're going to be doing something about it."
The protestors want UO to divest from companies with ties to Israel, and provide more protections for pro-Palestinian activists on campus.
Protestors are also asking the public to call Oregon's elected leaders and congressional delegation, demanding they speak out against Israel’s blockades.
Dornberg said she's been inspired by similar hunger strikes at other schools like University of California, Los Angeles.
During the strikes, Dornberg said some participants will eat a meal only once every two to three days, in order to reflect Gaza's current food availability.
Meanwhile, she said she and two other strikers are planning indefinite strikes—meaning they'll completely refuse to eat until it is no longer safe for them to do so.
"We really want to go as long as we can to show 'what does this feel like? What is the reality of not having any food?'" said Dornberg. "Because it's not something most of us have ever had to contend with."
In an email to KLCC Monday, UO representative Eric Howald said the university respects students’ right to express their views, but advised caution about their methods.
"We urge them to choose forms of expression that prioritize their health, safety, and overall well-being," said Howald, "while adhering to UO freedom of speech guidelines."
The hunger strike comes nearly one year after the end of a pro-Palestinian encampment on UO's campus, which resulted in multiple students facing conduct code violations.
