Israel court refuses to release Palestinian prisoner after 124-day hunger strike

The Israeli High Court yesterday rejected an appeal submitted by the Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs Commission calling for the immediate release of a Palestinian prisoner who has been on hunger strike for 124 days.

Kayed Al-Fasfous, who who launched the strike in protest against his continued administrative detention, is facing the risk of death.

This is the fourth time the High Court has rejected appeals for his release.

Al-Fasfous, 34, from the southern West Bank town of Dura, has been on an open-ended hunger strike to demand an end of his indefinite detention without charge or trial by the Israeli occupation authorities.

On Saturday, doctors at the Israeli Barzilai Medical Centre, where he is being held, told his family that he was close to death.

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Al-Fasfous is experiencing an intermittent loss of consciousness, irregular heartbeats, tingling in the chest, a decrease in blood pressure, kidney and heart problems, a shortage of fluids in his body and recurring pains and aches across his body, which makes him vulnerable.

Four other prisoners are also on hunger strike calling for an end to their administrative detention, including Alaa Al-Araj who has been on strike for 100 days, Hisham Abu Hawwash, 92 days, Louay Al-Ashkar, 36 days, and Ayyad Al-Harmi, 54 days.

Rights groups say that as of October more than 500 Palestinian prisoners have been held on administrative detention.

Last week, Palestinian prisoner Miqdad Al-Qawasmi agreed to end his hunger strike, which was ongoing for 113 days, after Israeli prison authorities agreed to release him in February.