A new bill proposed by House Republicans aims to address unlawful activities on college campuses by sending convicted individuals to Gaza for community service. Introduced by Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee, alongside Reps. Randy Weber of Texas and Jeff Duncan of South Carolina, the bill responds to recent incidents of violence during anti-Israel demonstrations on campuses.

The bill does not explicitly mention Israel or anti-Israel groups but targets unlawful campus activities since October 7, 2023. Those convicted would serve a minimum of six months of community service in Gaza. Ogles highlighted disruptions caused by protests, stating, "Students have abandoned their classes to harass other students and disrupt campus-wide activities... Enough is enough."

Weber emphasized consequences for supporting terrorist organizations, suggesting that those engaging in unlawful activities should experience the situation firsthand. The bill faces uncertainty in the House due to a narrow Republican majority and would likely be ignored by the Democrat-controlled Senate if passed.

The tensions surrounding Israel's conflict with Hamas have led to bipartisan criticism of college protests, although progressive Democrats continue to support student activism. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota faced censure from Republicans for comments about Jewish students, while Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan also received criticism for remarks related to Israel post-October 7.