Six San Francisco State University students participated in a hunger strike that ended on Friday night at 9 p.m., according to Kailey Flores, a participant.

The hunger strike began last Monday, May 5, in solidarity with the Palestinians facing starvation due to Israel’s aid blockade and to call on other California State University campuses to divest from weapons manufacturers. The strike happened simultaneously with other CSU students in San Jose, Long Beach and Sacramento. At the time of publication, students at Long Beach and San Jose are still participating.

Students outside the CSU system are also participating in the strike, including at Yale University, Columbia University and UCLA.

Ziniab I., the president of the General Union of Palestinian Students, did not strike, but met with administrators about the strikers’ demands.

“With our talking administration, we talked about being a resource for other schools to go to to talk about this divestment if they’re interested in it and see how we did it in a process with students, administration and faculty,” Ziniab I. said. “We also were discussing starting a process of a study abroad program at Palestinian universities.”

In a statement to Golden Gate Xpress, Bobby King, SFSU’s director of communications, confirmed the discussions.

“President Mahoney met with the students last week and discussed continuing the work we did last year when the Foundation amended its investment strategy to include a human rights component,” King said. “We’re also going to explore new study abroad opportunities that could be available and in compliance with CSU policies.”

The strike at SFSU was organized by GUPS, said Flores, a fourth-year Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts student.

“Once I heard that this was a possibility, I, obviously,, like the other strikers, took a lot of time to think about whether or not it was something that I could do based on different aspects of my life,” Flores said. “I decided that it was something that an escalation I thought was important and that I felt like I needed to do.”

During the strike, Flores gained a better understanding of the starving people in Palestine. 

“It was something I’ve never experienced before, not just the physical things that I felt not eating for five days, but also the emotional,” Flores said. “To think about the people in Gaza who were probably feeling this on a whole other scale when they haven’t eaten in almost 70 days. Now, I can’t even believe human bodies can persist that long without food, but they have.” 

Max Flynt, a fourth-year kinesiology student, also participated.

“I didn’t really have hunger pains, but I definitely had some body pain, but nothing compared to what children and women and civilians and Gaza are going through,” Flynt said. “It was nothing in comparison to people that have been facing mass starvation, bombardment for almost two years now.”

Flynt was glad that the strike got administrators to commit to three demands — to implement the weapons divestment policy of the SF State Foundation to also apply to the University Corporation, to be a resource to other universities seeking to divest, and to work toward a study abroad program in Palestine.

“San Francisco State, Sacramento State and the University of San Francisco are the only three schools in the country that have passed divestment from the companies facilitating the Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people,” Flynt said. “We continue to build on those wins and hopes that other universities like Stanford, like Yale, like the other CSUs. Use us as an example to get what they need on their own campuses.” 

Hadeel, a fourth-year student who did not disclose her full name, participated in the strike and spoke during a press conference. 

“How are we able to study and learn and not feel a sense of duty to the students in Palestine who are without a single standing college because of a genocide funded by our student dollars?” said Hadeel. “Here at San Francisco State, we are the example. Our school goes to show we can divest for more on occupation. Students do not and should not have to be complicit in genocide just because they want education.”