By Atoyebi Nike
Palestinian activist and former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil led a rally in New York City following his release from U.S. immigration detention, vowing to intensify protests against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and the United States’ role in supporting it.
Speaking to a crowd of demonstrators, Khalil condemned what he described as Israel’s “genocide in Gaza” and called for global solidarity with Palestinians. His arrest had drawn widespread attention from human rights groups and pro-Palestinian advocates, many of whom claimed it was politically motivated.
“We will not be silenced. We will not stop,” Khalil said during the rally. “Our resistance is just, and we will continue to speak out against oppression from Gaza to the streets of New York.”
Khalil’s detention and subsequent release have galvanized supporters, many of whom view his case as emblematic of the growing crackdown on student activism and pro-Palestinian voices in the U.S.
