Jewish students studying at prominent American universities have told Newsweek they and their classmates have faced antisemitic abuse and harassment on campus. There was also open support for acts of violence against Israel, following the October 7, 2023 attacks on the country and subsequent invasion of Gaza.

One student said Jews were told to "go back to Poland" and that "you have no culture" by demonstrators on or around campus, adding that "we haven't been listened to" by university authorities. A second said she saw a swastika dubbed on campus, was targeted for displaying a Jewish Star of David, and was escorted to exams by her mother due to safety concerns.

On October 7, 2023, thousands of Hamas and allied fighters launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people, predominantly civilians. Several hundred more were dragged into Gaza as hostages, where more than 100 remain, though it is unclear how many of these are still alive. In response, Israel mounted a major air and ground incursion into Gaza that has resulted in over 36,000 deaths, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry; this figure has not been independently confirmed by Newsweek.

The Israeli operation sparked a wave of protest camps at American universities including the 'Gaza Solidarity Encampment' at Columbia University. This was created on April 17, and quickly reformed after police moved in and made more than 100 arrests the following day. Other encampments were formed across the country including at Yale, Harvard, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Southern California and the University of California at Berkeley, most of which have since been cleared by police.