UCLA Student Hospitalized Amid Ongoing Hunger Strikes Demanding Divestment from “Israel”

By Staff, Agencies

A hunger-striking student at the University of California, Los Angeles [UCLA], was hospitalized on May 18—the ninth day of her protest—highlighting the growing wave of student-led hunger strikes across the US in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Maya Abdullah, a 23-year-old Palestinian-Lebanese film student, collapsed on campus and was rushed to the hospital. She had been refusing food as part of a protest calling on UCLA to divest from “Israel” over its ongoing blockade and war on Gaza.

In a video shared on Instagram, Abdullah said, “On day nine of my hunger strike, I unexpectedly passed out at my school and had to be rushed to the hospital.” She added that UCLA’s administration did not respond to news of her hospitalization, calling the lack of engagement “disheartening.”

Despite the experience, Abdullah affirmed her commitment to the cause, describing her efforts as “a step towards divestment” and “part of many different things.”

A video circulated online following the incident shows fellow students condemning UCLA’s inaction. The clip opens with the message: “This is what happens when UCLA ignores its students. This is on you, UCLA.”

Abdullah is one of many students across the US participating in hunger strikes aimed at pressuring universities to cut financial ties with “Israeli” institutions and companies complicit in the war on Gaza. Similar hunger strikes are underway at Yale, Stanford and various California State University campuses.

These protests come amid increasing repression, as the administration of President Donald Trump continues efforts to deport students supporting the Palestinian Cause. In some cases, international students have been forced to leave the country after university-imposed sanctions disrupted their ability to maintain visa eligibility.