Montreal / PNN / 

Tents have sprung up on McGill University's downtown campus as students show solidarity with the Palestinian cause, echoing similar demonstrations unfolding across U.S. universities amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.

On Saturday, organizers urged people to stay overnight at the encampment, amplifying their demand for McGill and Concordia universities to divest from funds tied to the Zionist state and sever connections with Zionist academic institutions. Zaynab Ali, a participating McGill student, conveyed this message in a statement to CBC News.

Ali referred to a dataset released on April 18 by McGill Hunger Strike for Palestine and Students for Justice in Palestine, listing 50 companies in which McGill University invests and which, the organizations claim, support Israel's apartheid regime. CBC News reached out to the university for comment on the dataset.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted after the militant group's attacks on October 7. Israeli tallies report around 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages, with over 130 still held in Gaza, including women and children.

Health authorities in Gaza report over 34,000 Palestinian casualties, predominantly women and children, due to Israel's offensive. This has also led to famine risks, hospital destruction, and displacement of 1.9 million people, according to the United Nations.

The Montreal chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement declared the encampment "indefinite," aiming to prevent universities from being complicit in genocide. Another student group, Solidarité pour les droits humains des Palestiniennes et Palestiniens, encouraged UQAM students and personnel to join in.

McGill University stated in an email to CBC News that it acknowledges the encampment and supports students' rights to freedom of expression and assembly within university policies and the law. Security officers are present at the site.