Intensive negotiations with hunger striker Al-Issawi

The Palestinian Authority Minister for Prisoners’ Affairs, Issa Qaraqe, has said that the Israeli General Security Service (GSS) and the legal adviser to the Israeli occupation authorities are leading intense negotiations with hunger striker Samer Al-Issawi to find a solution to his situation which will get political approval. In a press statement on Wednesday, Qaraqe said that a compromise deal is being discussed with the Palestinian prisoner in Israel’s Kaplan Hospital.

He pointed out that Al-Issawi has set conditions for any deal that are being fleshed out to ensure his release and return to his home in Jerusalem, an International Red Cross guarantee for his protection, and for the remaining charges against him to be dropped.

In a related context, the Prisoners’ Forum said that 9 other prisoners held by Israel have joined the strike in solidarity with Al-Issawi, including his brother Medhat, Esmat Mansour, Hussein Derbas, Wajdi Gawda, Haitham Antary, Muhammad Mallah, Nader Jaffal, Munther Snober and Ayman Bisharat.

The Forum pointed out that these prisoners have declared an open-ended hunger strike to end only upon the release of their colleague Samer.