Some New York City public school students walked out of their classrooms across the five boroughs Thursday calling for a ceasefire in fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Students from Beacon High School in Hell’s Kitchen could been seen exiting the building holding posters and flyers shortly after noon Thursday.
The planned walkout is supposed to culminate with a rally in Bryant Park later Thursday afternoon.
A flyer for the event indicated students from more than 100 schools are expected to participate in the event.
Organizers are encouraging participants to flood the phone lines of their congressional leaders to demand a ceasefire in Gaza.
The protests come just hours after Israel agreed to daily "humanitarian pauses" in fighting in northern Gaza to allow civilians to flee.
The pauses will last four hours daily to allow for humanitarian aid to enter and to help get civilians away from the fighting, a White House spokesperson said.
The Hamas-run Palestinian Health Ministry says the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza has risen to 10,818.
In its latest update Thursday, the ministry said the figure includes 4,412 children and 2,198 women. The vast majority have been killed in Israeli airstrikes that have pounded the enclave following Hamas’ assault on Israel.
It comes after the attack Hamas launched on Israel on Oct. 7 that killed more than 1,400 Israelis, mostly civilians.
Participations from teachers or faculty would fly in the face of instructions outlined by Schools Chancellor David Banks, who warned teachers not to participate in political speech, behaviors or events during school hours.
“School leaders, teachers, and other school staff should not express their personal views about political matters during the school day … and it is critical that they set aside their personal views during class discussions about current events," Banks said in a memo.