Photo shows Palestinian prisoner Kayed Fasfous at Kaplan Medical Center following serious deterioration of his health. (Via Wafa news agency)
Ramallah, October 18 (RHC)-- At least seven Palestinian inmates have remained on an open-ended hunger strike to protest the Israeli so-called administrative detention, which allows prisoners to be held without charge or trial.
According to a report by the Detainees Affairs Commission, among them had been the oldest hunger-striker Kayed Fasfous, who stopped eating almost 95 days ago. He was later transferred to Kaplan Medical Center, south of Tel Aviv because of his serious illness and he’s being held there under detention.
Among other Palestinian prisoners, who insist to continue their strike despite their seriously deteriorating condition, were inmates identified as Muqdad Qawasmeh, Alaa Aaraj, Hesham Abu Hawwash , Shadi Abu-Akr, Ayyad Hureimi and Khalil Abu-Aram. They were detained by Israeli forces during raids in various Palestinian cities across the occupied West Bank over the past few months. They have now gone on a long-term strike and spent a span time of one week to about three months without any food in Israeli jails.
In November, the Israeli regime released Palestinian inmate Maher al-Akhras, who was on hunger strike for more than 100 days in protest at his detention without charge.
Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners are held under administrative detention, in which Israel keeps the detainees without charge for up to six months, a period which can be extended an infinite number of times. Women and minors are among these detainees.
Palestinian detainees have continuously resorted to open-ended hunger strikes in an attempt to express their outrage at the detention. Palestinians hold Israeli authorities fully responsible for any deterioration of the circumstances in jails.
More than 7,000 Palestinians are reportedly held in Israeli jails. Some Palestinian prisoners have been held in administrative detention for up to 11 years. They have been subjected to physical assaults, beatings, and injuries without any regard to his poor medical condition.
Palestinian inmates regularly stage hunger strike in protest at the administrative detention policy and harsh conditions in Israeli jails. Over a dozen Palestinian lawmakers and nearly 20 journalists are also held in Israeli detention centers, several of them under the administrative detention policy.
In 2015, Israel approved a law that authorizes force-feeding the Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike, a practice rejected by the United Nations as a violation of human rights.
The United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as well as many human rights group have frequently expressed serious concern about hunger strikes’ health condition and call for their immediate release.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh last month urged the ICRC and the UN to follow up on the conditions of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails,
