ALBAWABA - Activists posted footage of pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University taking over Hamilton Hall and renaming it after Hind Rajab, the 6-year-old Gazan girl who was killed by Israeli forces.
Protests have been ongoing in several American universities including New York University, Harvard University, MIT, Yale University and many others against the ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza.
A video emerged online showing students on the balcony of Hamilton Hall and spreading a banner reading "Hind's Hall" along with the cartoon character Handala, which is a prominent national symbol and personification of the Palestinian people.
According to a letter acquired by Al Jazeera from Columbia University administration, demonstrators are threatened with disciplinary action if they do not voluntarily withdraw by 2:00 PM local time Monday.
Students who are accused of breaking academic behavior rules are not allowed to utilize campus facilities until the matter is resolved.
Concurrently, Columbia University President Nemat Minouche Shafik announced that talks with pro-Palestinian protestors had failed. One major cause of the dispute is Shafik's insistence on keeping investments supporting the Israeli army despite promises to invest in Gaza's health and education sectors.
The story of Palestinian girl Hind Rajab
Hind Rajab called Red Crescent and pleaded for help after the car of her family was targeted by Israeli forces in Gaza City. Two workers at Red Crescent left to rescue the little girl on Jan. 29, but they all went missing.
After contact loss for 12 days, the bodies of little child Hind, 6, and the two workers were found on Feb. 10, 2024 after they were killed by Israeli forces.
Baha Hamada, the Hind's grandfather, confirmed that the body of the Palestinian girl was found in the Tal al-Hawa area. Moreover, the Palestinian Red Crescent announced that the two paramedics, Yousef Zeino and Ahmed Al-Madhoun, who went to rescue Hind and her family were killed as well.
Hind's last words were: "I'm so scared, please come," as she was inside her family’s car which came under fire by Israeli forces in Gaza City leading to the death of all her other five relatives.
