Israel holds Palestinian hunger strikers in solitary confinement

Eight Palestinian prisoners in Israel are continuing their open-ended hunger strike in protest at being held under so-called administrative detention having been neither charged with any offence nor put on trial, Arab48.com reported on Monday.

According to the PLO’s Prisoners’ and Freed Prisoners’ Committee, the hunger strikers have been enduring harsh treatment at the hands of the Israeli prison service in its efforts to stop their strike. The Committee released a statement confirming that Israel is now holding the hunger strikers in solitary confinement as part of these efforts.

The cells being used, the Committee pointed out, are not fit for human use. The prisoners are prevented from sleeping and subjected to physical and verbal abuse.

NGO: 40 Palestinian prisoners launch hunger strike in Israel jails

Huthayfa Halabiyeh has been on hunger strike for 50 days, the PLO statement added, noting that this is longer than the others involved in this protest. Halabiyeh, 28, has health problems and the Israeli authorities have refused to ease the conditions in which he is being held.

The other prisoners on hunger strike are Ahmad Ghannam, who has been refusing food for 37 days; Sultan Khallouf, 33 days; Ismail Ali, 27 days; Wajdi Awawdeh, 22 days; Tariq Qidan, 20 days; Naser Al-Jadei, 13 days; and Thaer Hamdan, eight days.

Both Halabiyeh and Ghannam are suffering from leukaemia and are in need of specialist medical care only available in a hospital.