Students have been protesting the death count from the Israel-Hamas conflict, leading to confrontational rallies.

These protests have resulted in tense faceoffs with police in Texas and at New York's Columbia University.

Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson suggested that the Guard should be called if the demonstrations were not contained quickly, which was a provocative statement to make on a US campus.

Protests at Columbia University have sparked comparisons to the 1970 Kent State University demonstrations where National Guard soldiers killed four students during anti-Vietnam war protests.

Since the protests began last week, hundreds of students have been arrested.

University President Lee Bollinger spoke to the media, expressing his intention to urge US President Joe Biden to take action and warning of potential danger for Jewish students due to the protests.

He was met with boos from the students.

Biden supports free speech on US campuses, according to his spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre.

Meanwhile, Israel initiated a war in Gaza following an unprecedented Hamas attack that resulted in over 1,100 deaths.

Protesters at Columbia University and other campuses are expressing solidarity with Palestinians and urging divestment.

The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 34,200, according to Hamas-run health ministry.