Harvard Head Disavows Students' Controversial Hamas-Israel Statement
Harvard University President Claudine Gay stated that a student group's condemnation of Israel amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas does not represent the entire school. She condemned the "terrorist atrocities perpetrated by Hamas" and emphasized that no student group speaks for Harvard University or its leadership. The statement from the student group, co-signed by 33 other Harvard student organizations, received backlash from alumni and lawmakers. Former Harvard President Lawrence Summers criticized the university's delayed response and called for moral clarity in condemning acts of terror against Israel. The university's Jewish center, Harvard Hillel, expressed opposition to the student statement, blaming Israel for the violence carried out by Hamas. The conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, with a rising death toll on both sides.