Global 'Strike for Palestine' sees some high school students walk out of class

HAYWARD, Calif. - In Hayward’s Mt. Eden Park, Monday, the latest movement led by youth, is getting a crash course on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

"We have been basically talking to the students about what’s going on and teaching them how to find out the truth….and so students wanted to do this," said Daisy Cabus, a Mt. Eden High School English teacher.

She and others have said cries for a cease-fire from the ground in Gaza, have reached young ears around the globe.

The fighting started after Hamas-led attacks killed approximately 1,200 Israelis, and left hundreds more kidnapped. In response, the Israel Defense Forces has been working to root out and destroy the Hamas terror network. At times, innocent civilians have been killed.

Monday’s "Global Strike For Palestine" renews calls for another cease-fire.

"There was a cease-fire on October 6th. Gazans were coming into Israel with work permits much like Canada and Mexico into the United States. Hamas ended that on October 7th," said Marc Levine of the Anti-Defamation League.

Supporters of tens of thousands of Palestinians who’ve been trapped by intense fighting in Gaza said people living in the U.S. and elsewhere have a responsibility to pressure the international community to stop the fighting.

"At this point, our leaders and Congress is only an arms dealer. And if that’s the case, what is our role and what is our responsibility to change that and to act?," said Arieana Castellanos, a member of the Hayward Community Coalition.

Those who participated in the global strike said walking out of class and off jobs sends a strong message, that they don’t support the killing of innocents – and want government policies to reflect their feelings.

"We adamantly and unequivocally support our student’s freedom of expression. We’re not gonna stand in the way of that," said Michael Bazeley, a spokesman for the Hayward Unified School District.

Added Zahra Billoo, executive director of CAIR San Francisco Bay Area, "The idea is we should not be conducting business as usual…enough is enough. Leaders and activists from around the world are saying we have to increase our advocacy. Because it is as though our elected officials are def dumb and blind to what is happening."

At the conclusion of the 45-minute off-campus lesson, students walked back to their campuses under the supervision of a teacher.

Representatives for CAIR said there will be more demonstrations in support of Palestine at city council meetings around the Bay Area on Tuesday.

Jesse Gary is a reporter based in the station's South Bay bureau. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter), @JesseKTVU and on Instagram, @jessegontv