After 40 days without food, hundreds of Palestinian prisoners have suspended their hunger strike in Israeli jails.
The end of the strike came after 20 hours of intense negotiations between the strike’s leaders, including imprisonedھܰ, and the, according to a statement issued on the morning of May 27 by the prisoners solidarity committee.
The committee hailed the agreement as a “victory for the Palestinian people and the prisoners in their epic defense of freedom and dignity”.
It added that Israel was forced to negotiate after realising that the prisoners “were ready to continue until victory or martyrdom and that the use of oppression, violence and other violations failed to weaken them, but rather strengthened their resolve”.
The statement says Israeli authorities accepted some of the demands of the prisoners, but does not provide details.
However Israel Prison Service sourcesthat the agreement, reached between Israel, the(ICRC), and the, would grant prisoners a second monthly family visit to be funded by the PA.
“The move effectively reinstated the number of family visits that were traditionally provided to Palestinian prisoners, before the ICRC reduced the number of visits they facilitated last year from two to one visit a month, sparking protests across the Palestinian territory,” according to Ma’an.
But the Israeli prison spokesperson reportedly “declined to comment on whether any of the other demands were met”.
Strike-breaking efforts
About 1500 prisonersto demand improvements in conditions and an end to, heavy restrictions on family visits and– prolonged imprisonment without charge.
They also called for Israel to ease restrictions on the entry of books, clothing, food and other items from family members.
Israel quickly resorted toin its effort to break the strike, including transferring prisoners between prisons, subjecting leaders to solitary confinement, blocking visits by lawyers and confiscating personal belongings.
As the strike continued and the health of many prisoners sharply deteriorated, Israel increased: media reports suggested Israel would resort to the dangerous and medically unethical practice ofand Israeli ministers publicly smeared Marwan Barghouti in an apparent effort to discredit him and break the strike’s unity.
By thenight of May 26, 834 prisoners remained on hunger strike,to the Tel Aviv newspaperHaaretz, and 18 remained hospitalised.
Solidarity
Activists in Palestine and around the world organised solidarity actions with the hunger strikers. Many posted on social media about taking the “” – symbolically drinking only salty water, as the hunger strikers do, to raise awareness about their struggle.
The last mass hunger strikein 2014, when hundreds of prisoners protested the use of administrative detention. Before and since, individuals have waged individual hunger strikes, in some cases.
The end of this strike coincides with the beginning of Ramadan. Some prisoners hadthe intention to fast by refusing even salt and water during the hours of sunrise to sunset. This could have placed their already weakened bodies in even graver danger, and sharply increased pressure on Israel.
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