WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Students at William & Mary University gathered Tuesday night to honor the lives lost in the war between Israel and Hamas.
The Students for Justice in Palestine organization held a vigil on the campus, aiming to bring attention to the casualties in Gaza.
The vigil came as a rocket struck a Gaza City hospital packed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter Tuesday, killing hundreds of people, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said. Hamas blamed an Israeli airstrike, while the Israeli military blamed a rocket misfired by other Palestinian militants.
At least 500 people were killed, the ministry said.
Before the al-Alhi Hospital deaths, Israeli strikes on Gaza have killed at least 2,778 people and wounded 9,700, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and nearly two-thirds of those killed were children. Another 1,200 people across Gaza are believed to be buried under the rubble, alive or dead, health authorities said.
More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly civilians who were slain in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. The assault also resulted in some 200 being taken captive into Gaza. Hamas militants in Gaza have launched rockets every day since, aiming at cities across Israel.
Last week, multiple Jewish student organizations on campus held a vigil after Hamas' surprise attack on Israel. It also raised funds for Israel's national emergency disaster ambulance and blood bank service.
