Chancellor Joan Gabel releases statement condemning recent attacks in Israel

Chancellor Joan Gabel sent out an email statement to the Pitt community on Thursday afternoon regarding the recent attacks  in Israel. 

“Like many of you over the past several days, I have continued to watch the horrific and heartbreaking scenes resulting from Hamas’ unprecedented terrorist attacks against Israel and innocent civilians,” Gabel said in the email. “In no uncertain terms, we condemn these unconscionable, barbaric acts.”

On October 7, the militant group Hamas launched an attack on Israel outside of Gaza leading to the Israeli government declaring war on Hamas. As of Thursday afternoon, more than 2,500 people have died in both Israeli and Palestinian territories, many of which are civilians.

The recent escalation comes after decades of tension that dates back to Israel’s founding in 1948. Following the Hamas attacks, the Israeli government also announced a “total blockade” on Gaza, which is currently restricting water, electricity and food to thousands of civilians in one of the most densely populated areas in the world. 

The chancellor’s statement comes after students in support of Israel held a rally in Schenley Plaza in which some demanded that the University take a stance on the matter. Gabel said she has listened to the voices and concerns of the Pitt community and shared that her “heart goes out to all those pained by these events and those tragically lost in these atrocious attacks, which include hundreds of young people — the age of our students — at a music festival with their whole lives ahead of them.”

Gabel said the University is committed to supporting everyone at Pitt affected by “this terrible violence,” adding that the Office of Inclusion and Belonging is available as a resource to any student that needs a space to reflect. 

“As an institution of learning, we are also committed to offering tools to deepen our understanding with actionable, mission-driven engagement,” Gabel said. 

The email also noted that Pitt will host two panel events regarding the history of the ongoing tension between Palestine and Israel. The first is hosted by the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, the Center for Civil Rights and Racial Justice and the Office of the Chancellor and will feature a virtual panel with experts Mira Sucharov and Omar Dajani. This event will take place on Monday, Oct. 16 at 5:30 p.m. 

The other panel will feature Pitt faculty members and will focus on understanding the war through “the framework of international human rights and the international rule of law.” Details on the second panel will come at a later date.