The Toronto District School Board said it is aware of some student-led walkouts planned for today, Thursday, due to the war between Israel and Hamas.

The school board stated, "We understand that the walkouts are organized by students to support Palestinians," "and that the board is not participating in organizing these walkouts, and we are not in a position to allow or prevent them from happening."

"While we recognize that students want to express themselves both individually and collectively, it is important that they do so in constructive, respectful, and responsible ways. We advise any participating students to organize any walkouts/protests off school property."

In a statement sent to the media, several student groups supporting Palestinians expressed that they feel compelled to speak out publicly about the situation to address what is happening in Gaza, the anti-Palestinian racism, and the "rise" of Islamophobia in Canada.

The student groups wrote, "The primary goal of our protest is to condemn the senseless loss of innocent lives in the current state of the world."

They said their protests would include wearing Palestinian scarves (keffiyehs), as well as cultural music and poetry.

The group issued a list of demands to the school administration regarding how Palestinian students should be treated, reflecting those issued by another group that held a press conference on Wednesday, and how they would like to see Palestinian issues addressed in schools.

Jewish groups also expressed fear and concern about how the recent war affects students, with anti-Semitic writings found at Danforth College earlier this week.

A man and two teenagers were also accused of harassment, intimidation, and threatening violence after they attended a Jewish high school approximately two weeks ago following the outbreak of the conflict.

Speaking with CP24 on Wednesday, Noah Shak from the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto said that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should not be " litigated" in Toronto schools.

The school board stated on Thursday that staff will be outside schools to support the safety of anyone participating in the protests and that police may also be on-site at schools as needed "to help manage traffic and ensure the safety of the community."

The board previously stated that it is concerned about how the war affects multiple communities within the board and that it is focusing on the mental health of students and staff.

The board stated, "We are committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment. This includes providing students with access to professional support services and resources as needed," "We recognize that students who do not participate in the walkouts may be affected, and staff will support those students, check in with them, and offer additional support as needed."