Israel moves hunger striking Palestinian to notorious Ramle Prison clinic

Kayed Al-Fasfous, a Palestinian prisoner on his 57th day of hunger strike, has been relocated from Asqalan Prison to the notorious Ramla Prison clinic, according to the PLO Detainees Affairs Commission.

Al-Fasfous, 34, from the West Bank town of Dura based south-west of Hebron, has been held in Israeli detention without formal charges or trial since 2 May. In response, he launched a hunger strike to protest his administrative detention by Israeli authorities.

According to the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS), this marks his second incarceration, having previously spent nearly seven years in Israeli prisons. His four brothers, Akram, Khaled, Hafez and Hasan, are all also held without charge or trial under administrative detention. He is married and the father of a daughter.

Moreover, PPS reports that Al-Fasfous’s health has been steadily declining due to his prolonged hunger strike, during which he is also subjected to a daily cell search.

His personal belongings and clothing have been confiscated and he is left only with the clothes he was wearing when launching his strike.

Israel has issued more than 2,200 administrative detention orders against Palestinian detainees so far this year, the PPS revealed earlier this month.

The number of administrative detainees has reached more than 1,200, including at least 21 children and three female prisoners, the PPS said.

According to the statement, many administrative detainees have resorted to hunger strikes, including Kayed Al-Fasfous, Sultan Khalouf, Abdul-Rahman Baraka and Maher Al-Akhras.

Israel holds administrative detainees mainly in three prisons: Ofer, the Negev and Megiddo.

2022 recorded the highest number of administrative detention orders over the last five years, with 2,409 issued. In July this year alone, 370 orders were issued.

UN: Israel is holding 1,264 Palestinians in administrative detention