With one Palestinian administrative detainee in Israel on hunger strike for 94 days today, four of the six other administrative detainees on hunger strike demanding their freedom have been fasting for more than two months, according to Palestinian prisoners’ advocacy groups.
They said that Kayed Fasfous has been on hunger strike for 94 days despite the Israeli High Court’s decision on Thursday suspending, but not ending, his administrative detention.
Fasfous, who is currently at an Israeli hospital following serious deterioration on his health, demands to be set free charging his detention without charge or trial and based on laws from the British Mandate period, the pre-Israel British occupation of Palestine era, is illegal according to international law.
The Palestinian Authority’s Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Commission said that the decision to freeze the administrative detention of any prisoner is not the same as ending it but rather turning him into an “informal prisoner” while at hospital under hospital security watch instead of prison guards and that it is nothing more than negating the prison administration of its responsibility if he dies.
Therefore, it added, Fasfous has decided to continue with his hunger strike despite the deterioration in his health until he wins his freedom.
Fasfous is followed by Miqdad Qawasmeh, who has been on hunger strike for 87 days, Alaa Aaraj, 70 days, Hisham Abu Hawwash, 61 days, Shadi Abu Aker, 53 days, and Ayyad al-Harimi, 24 days, all demanding an end to their illegal administrative detention.
Khalil Abu Arram is also on hunger strike for seven days today in solidarity with the 250 striking Islamic Jihad prisoners, who have been on hunger strike for four days to protest their mistreatment by the Israel Prison Services following the escape of five Islamic Jihad prisoners from Gilboa Prison last month. The escapees, who included another one from Fatah movement, have been re-captured since then.
Source: Palestinian News & Info Agency