Palestinian detainees plan hunger strike to protest Israeli restrictions

People protest against Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s restriction of family visits to Palestinian prisoners in front of International Committee of the Red Cross building in Gaza City, Gaza on September 03, 2023. [Mustafa Hassona – Anadolu Agency]

Palestinian detainees in Israel plan an open-ended hunger strike as of Sept. 14 to protest Israeli restrictions, Anadolu reports.

In a statement, the Palestinian Prisoner Society said the strike aims to pile pressure on the Israeli prison authorities to reverse restrictions against the detainees.

“The prisoners want all restrictions imposed against them reversed,” the NGO said.

On Friday, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir reduced the number of visits to Palestinian detainees from the West Bank to once every two months, according to Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

Around 1,600 Palestinian prisoners are affected by the new restrictions.

There are around 5,100 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, including 32 women, 165 children, and more than 1,200 administrative detainees, according to official data.

READ: Condemnation of Ben-Gvir decision to reduce Palestine prisoners’ visitations

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