Hundreds of Palestinian inmates launch hunger strike
Some 250 Palestinian prisoners launched a hunger strike on Wednesday in protest against what they claim are harsh conditions implemented in Israeli prisons since six prisoners escaped from Gilboa Prison and were recaptured, according to Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
PIJ stated that the hunger strike was in protest against what it called “repressive measures” implemented against their prisoners since September. The alleged measures include isolation and the distribution of prisoners to separate rooms in order to prevent them from organizing, according to the announcement.
On Wednesday evening, PIJ Secretary-General Ziyad al-Nakhalah affirmed that the movement “would not leave its sons in Zionist prisons as victims at the hands of the enemy.”
“We will stand with them and support them with everything we have, even if this requires us to go to war for them, and no agreements or any other considerations will prevent us from doing so,” warned Nakhalah.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) announced on Tuesday that it would conduct a hunger strike along with the PIJ prisoners to support them. The PFLP stressed that the strike would continue until the situation in Israeli prisons was returned to how it was before the six prisoners escaped and the prisoners in isolation were removed from isolation.
Six Palestinian prisoners have been on hunger strikes for an extended period of time: Kayed Fasfous (91 days), Muqdad Qawasmeh (84 days), Alaa Aaraj (67 days), Hesham Abu Hawwash (58 days), Rayeq Besharat (53 days) and Shadi Abu Akr (50 days), according to the Palestinian WAFA news agency.
Fasfous and Qawasmeh are both in serious condition and refuse to accept medical aid, according to Palestinian reports.
Fasfous has lost 30 kg. and is currently hospitalized at Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon, according to WAFA.
Qawasmeh is hospitalized at Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot in serious condition, with his family telling Palestinian media on Tuesday that he is in severe pain, suffering from memory loss and has trouble speaking.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh called Qawasmeh on Saturday, telling him that the issue of Palestinian prisoners is still the priority of the Hamas movement and Palestinian factions, according to Palestinian reports.