Israeli Court delays sentence of 95-day-hunger-striking Palestinian detainee

Occupied Palestine (QNN)- Israeli occupation Court has delayed on Tuesday the sentence of Palestinian detainee in Israeli jails, Alaa Al-Araj, who has been on an open-ended hunger strike for 95 days.

Al-Araj’s family said yesterday that Israel’s Court has delayed the sentence of its son as he has been on an open-ended hunger strike for 95 consecutive days against his unfair administrative detention without a charge or a trial in Israeli jails.

The Court on Tuesday held a session for Al-Araj but it delayed the sentencing for Thursday.

Alaa’s mother said she saw her son while appearing on the screen before the Court during the session.

“His health is extremely bad. He has lost a lot of his weight and hair. His face looked pale as if he had grown 50 years. And It’s clear he has pain all over his body,” Alaa’s mother said.

His mother said that Alaa told her to thank everyone standing with him and to continue supporting him and his other hunger-striking inmates.

In September, Al-Araj was transferred to hospital after his health deteriorated, and he is now held at the Al-Ramla Clinic prison due to deterioration in his health.

On November 2, Israeli Shin Bet sent Alaa for interrogation despite his serious health condition.

34-year-old Al-Araj is from Tulkarem, and he is a father of one child who was born while his father is still held inside the Israeli jails.

Al-Araj has been held under administrative detention – without charge or trial – in Israeli jails since 30 June and he has been on an open-ended hunger strike since August 9.

During his open-ended hunger strike, he lost over 30 kilogrammes and now suffers serious health problems as he can not stand up and has speech difficulties and pains in the abdomen and chest. He has blurred vision as well.

He has previously been detained by occupation forces and has served a total of five years in Israeli jails.

Along with Alaa, there are another five hunger-striking Palestinian detainees protesting against their unfair administrative detention without a charge or trial by Israeli occupation authorities.

The 6 hunger-striking detainees are:
•Kayed Fasfous (119 days of hunger strike)
•Alaa Al-A’raj (95 days of hunger strike)
•Miqdad Qawasmi (112 days of hunger strike)
•Hisham abu Hawash (86 days of hunger strike)
•Ayyad Harimi (49 days of hunger strike)
•Loay Alashqar (31 days of hunger strike)

Palestinian prisoner Rateb Haribat has also started an open-ended hunger strike since for 33 days in solidarity with his six inmates.

Over 45 Palestinian detainees started hunger strike since the start of 2021, in protest against Israel’s detention without a charge or trial.

Administrative detention is illegal under international law, however, the occupation state uses it to repress the Palestinian people.

‘Israel’ routinely uses administrative detention and has, over the years, placed thousands of Palestinians behind bars for periods ranging from several months to several years, without charging them, without telling them what they are accused of, and without disclosing the alleged evidence to them or to their lawyers.

Thus, the hunger strike is a method of a non-violent resistance which the prisoners use to protect their lives and their fundamental rights and a response to the occupation racist policies which they face in the prisons.

There are 4,650 Palestinian political prisoners held in Israeli jails, among the prisoners are 520 administrative detainees held without charge or trial, 200 child prisoners and 39 female prisoners.