Palestine prisoner in Israel jails halts hunger strike after 67 days

A Palestinian prisoner detained by Israeli occupation authorities without charge or trial has ended a hunger strike after 67 days, reported prisoners’ rights’ group Addameer.

According to Addameer, Huthaifa Halabiya stopped his hunger strike yesterday “after a serious deterioration in his health”, at the same as refusing “the proposal given by the Israeli intelligence department to extend his detention for another two months”.

Since starting his hunger strike on 1 July, Huthaifa only took water “and refused to undertake any medical tests during this period”.

In recent weeks, Addameer reported, Huthaifa’s health deteriorated with the onset of “spasm attacks and seizures”, in addition to the weakening of his sight and hearing.

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On Wednesday, a medical committee decided to use forced treatment, in case Huthaifa went into a coma. On the same day, the Israeli Supreme Court “looked into the appeal made by Huthaifa’s lawyer against his administrative detention order”.

During this session, the Israeli military prosecution and intelligence department were determined to renew Huthaifa’s administrative detention order for another two months, ending 7 December. The court’s ruling has not yet been published.

Addameer expressed its support for Huthaifa’s decision to stop his strike, and said it holds Israeli occupation authorities fully responsible for Huthaifa’s life and “any other side-effects” he may suffer from as a consequence of his hunger strike.

The group also slammed the wider administrative detention policy as implemented by Israeli occupation forces, which it described as a violation of international law and “a war crime”.

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