Jewish students and supporters held a march Tuesday afternoon to demand the hostages in Gaza be returned home, bearing Israeli flags and “KIDNAPPED” posters as they walked from Founders Park to Alumni Park. The demonstration marks the 171st day since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks in Southern Israel. 

Ella Echo, the vice president of Trojans for Israel and a sophomore majoring in intelligence and cyber operations, thanked participants for standing up for the hostages still in Gaza and emphasized the strength of the USC Jewish community. 

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Echo said she had been in Israel on Oct. 7 with the intention of saying goodbye to her dying grandmother when she awoke to her brother receiving text messages regarding his friends who attended the Nova music festival, which was one of the locations that Hamas targeted.

“On my final day in Israel, I was awakened by murmurs from my brother,” Echo said. “His friend was shot, and [my brother] hid under the bodies of his peers at the festival. Thankfully, after a few hours, he was found alive, but his peers at the Nova [festival] and families in Kibbutz Kfar Aza … were taken against their will by Hamas.”

Daniel Kos, a senior majoring in international relations, said he attended this event to participate in Israeli culture and to bring attention to the hostages still being held in Gaza. 

“I hope to see as many members of our community come out and stand with Israel, stand with the Jewish community. I hope to be part of an event that’s emotionally enriching, that’s beautiful to see,” Kos said. 

Logan Barth — another organizer and a senior majoring in law, history and culture — also spoke at the march. He said it was important to hold events like the march to combat the rise of antisemitism on American college campuses. 

“We must not let the hate push us into hiding,” Barth said. “We are here to show the world that the Jewish people and our allies will never stop standing for humanity, standing for our nation, the state of Israel, the Jewish people, the 134 hostages in Gaza, right now. And that is why we are here, to be proud to take a stand on an American college campus and raise awareness for our people still in Gaza.”

Correction (March 27 at 2:42 a.m.): A previous version of this article misquoted Barth as saying, “We must not let the state push into hiding.” The quote has been updated; the Daily Trojan regrets this error.