Two Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails starve for freedom

Despite of health deterioration, two Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails continue their open-ended hunger strike in protest of their unfair administrative detention without a charge or trial and to gain their freedom.

The two hunger-striking detainees’ health condition has been deteriorating severely, as they have been suffering from powerful fatigue, exhaustion, headache, severe weight loss, irregular heart beats and serious decline in body fluids and vitamins.

The first hunger-striker is Hisham abu Hawash as he has been on hunger strike for 101 days.

Israel Prison Service refused to send Abu Hawash for the hearing in Court on Wednesday to review an appeal against him, due to his serious health conditions.

An Israeli court had previously ruled to decrease the period of Abu Hawwash’s administrative detention from 6 to 4 renewable months.

The 39-year-old detainee is in critical condition while being detained in the clinic of Al Ramleh prison in harsh conditions.

Hisham Abu Hawash, from Dora in occupied Hebron, was arrested on October 27, 2020, under administrative detention.

His detention order was renewed three times for no reasons.

He has been on hunger strike since August 17, 2021 in protest against his administrative detention without a charge or trial by Israeli occupation authorities.

The second hunger-striker is Loay Alashqar as he has been on hunger strike for 46 days.

He was transferred on Thursday to the clinic of Al-Ramleh prison due to harsh health conditions.

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.