10 hunger strike prisoners hospitalized in critical condition

Palestine’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Dr Riyad Mansour, has warned of a grave threat to the lives of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli jails. He made the disclosure after 10 prisoners were transferred to hospital following a dramatic deterioration in their health condition.

According to letters sent by Ambassador Mansour sent to the UN’s Secretary General, the Chairman of the Security Council and President of the General Assembly, the lives of a large number of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike for the last 59 to 67 days are now seriously endangered.

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The Ambassador highlighted the case of striking prisoners, Bilal Diab and Thae’r Hlahalah, who have been on hunger strike since 29 February. Both have suffered substantial loss of weight and a sharp drop in blood pressure.

In a related matter, Ambassador Mansour explained that the situation across the occupied Palestinian territories is witnessing a dangerous decline as a result of the provocations and illegal actions of the occupation authorities. He pointed to the arrest of more than 2,000 Palestinians by the occupying forces since last October, including a number of ex-detainees.

Ambassador Mansour urged the Security Council to hold the Israeli occupation authorities accountable for their inhuman treatment of thousands of Palestinian prisoners.