Israel exerts physical and psychological pressure on prisoners to end hunger-strike

A human rights organization has reported that the Israeli Prisons’ Administration is deliberately and continuously transporting isolated prisoners on hunger-strike in Ashkelon, from one cell to another several times a day in order to weaken and pressure them psychologically.

A press release by the Solidarity Foundation for Human Rights issued on Wednesday, May 2nd, stated that the, “Ashkelon administration breaks into the cells of the isolated prisoners at late hours of the night on a daily basis, and takes them to other cells without allowing them to transfer any of their belongings. Moreover, the Israeli ‘Alnhacon’ forces (forces responsible for storming the prisons) are deliberately grilling meat next to the prisoners’ cells during the night, as one of the provocative methods used against the hunger strikers.”

Ahmed Al-Betawi, a researcher at the Foundation, explained that “representatives of the Israeli prisons’ administration have held a series of individual meetings with the isolated striking prisoners in an attempt to break the strike through enticements to respond to their demands… However, the strikers have rejected their offer and demanded that they negotiate with prisoner Mahmoud Issa, the representative of the isolated prisoners in Ashkelon prison.”

Al-Betawi added that “there are four isolated prisoners in Ashkelon, Ibrahim Hamed, Dirar Abu Sissy, Bages Nakhlah and Raed Abu Zahir. The four have been on hunger strike for 16 days now.” He noted that they now only drink water as the prison’s administration confiscated the salt they had.