Palestinian prisoner enters 96th day of hunger strike, despite critical health condition

Palestinian detainee, Khalil Awawdeh, is suffering from severe health conditions, as he enters his 96th day of hunger strike to protest his administrative detention in Israel, without trial or charge.

Khalil, a father of four, was detained on 27 December, 2021, and placed in administrative detention – a policy that allows Israeli authorities to detain anyone for six months without charge or trial, which can be extended indefinitely.

According to the Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS), the 40-year-old Palestinian prisoner has been having difficulty speaking and communicating. He is also suffering from severe pain throughout his body, especially in his lower limbs and muscles.

Following a visit to the Ramleh prison in central Israel, PPS attorney, Jawad Boulos reported, in addition to poor vision, Khalil was also vomiting blood and finding difficulty in breathing.

He was previously transferred to hospital but then returned to Ramleh Prison clinic, despite his health condition.

Palestinians staged a rally in the Gaza Strip yesterday, to show solidarity with Khalil and another hunger-striking detainee, Raed Rayan, also protesting his administrative detention.

READ: Gazans rally to show solidarity with Palestinian hunger strikers in Israel

Organised by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the rally was held outside the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza City.

“Israel is fully responsible for the life of the Palestinian hunger strikers,” PFLP member, Awad Al-Sultan, told the rally.

He called on international human rights groups to send medical teams to examine the health conditions of the Palestinian hunger strikers and “to shed the light on the suffering of detainees in Israeli jails”.

According to the Palestine Prisoner Society NGO, there are around 4,700 Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails, including around 600 held without charge or trial.

Palestinians hunger-strikers in Israeli jails – Cartoon [CarlosLatuff]