10 Palestinian detainees launch hunger strike protest lack of coronavirus protection

Ten Palestinian political prisoner at Ofer Detention Centre, southwest of Ramallah, launched an open ended hunger strike to protest against the ongoing solitary confinement of two detainees, as well as against Israel’s failure to protect them against the coronavirus, the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) announced yesterday.

More prisoners have vowed to join the hunger strike if the demands of demands remain unmet, PPS said.

Nineteen-year-old Palestinian, Nour Sarsour, from Beitunia near Ramallah, tested positive for coronavirus after his release from prison on Tuesday. The Israel Prison Service failed to test him for the virus and he may have infected other detainees.

Commission of Detainees: Nour Ad-deen Sarsour, released yesterday from Israeli prisoners, tested positive for coronavirus! pic.twitter.com/KYvziB71w8

— 🌒Passion (@KuheilR) April 2, 2020

On Tuesday, PPS raised its concerns for the wellbeing of the 5,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails saying they are not being protected against the spread of COVID-19.

READ: Israel tells Palestinian prisoners, ‘Use your socks to make masks,’ as neglect continues