Palestine prisoners authority: Hunger-striking inmate in dire condition, unable to speak

A group advocating Palestinian prisoners’ rights has warned that a hunger-striking Palestinian inmate is in dire condition and unable to speak, more than 120 days after the prisoner began his hunger strike in protest at his indefinite, unfair and unexplained imprisonment by the Tel Aviv regime.

In a statement on Thursday, carried by the Palestinian Information Center, the Prisoners and Ex-prisoners Affairs Authority said that Hisham Abu Hawwash, who has been on an open-ended hunger strike for the past 122 consecutive days, is in “tragic condition.”

The rights group went on to say that the 40-year-old inmate suffers from weakness in the bones and muscles, a sharp weight loss, and sharp pains all over his body. It added that he also became unable to move or to speak, but Israeli courts continue to reject his release appeals.

On Monday, the Israeli military appeals court rejected a petition submitted for the release of Abu Hawwash, who is protesting against Israel's so-called policy of administrative detention –a sort of imprisonment without trial or charge.

Abu Hawwash's family earlier warned that he may die any moment as a result of his prolonged hunger strike, calling for urgent action to save his life before it is too late.

Israeli court rejects freedom of Palestinian inmate on hunger strike for nearly 120 days

An Israeli court rejects an appeal for the immediate release of a Palestinian prisoner who has been on hunger strike for nearly 120 days.

Abu Hawwash is one of the four prisoners who went on extended hunger strikes against their detention without charge. The other prisoners were Kayed Fasfous, Ayyad al-Harimi, and Lo’ai al-Ashqar.

Last month, 34-year-old Fasfous and Harimi, 28, suspended their months-long strikes after Israeli authorities agreed to set them free.

Fasfous finally walked out of an Israeli jail and returned home to his family on December 5, after refusing to eat for 131 days in protest.

Facing widespread international criticism, the regime has also agreed to free several other Palestinians, who have been on lengthy strikes.

Palestinian detainees have continuously resorted to open-ended hunger strikes in an attempt to express their outrage at the detention.

Advocacy group warns of deteriorating health conditions of two Palestinian prisoners

Advocacy group warns that two Palestinian prisoners’ health conditions are increasingly deteriorating because of deliberate medical negligence.

Israeli prison denies Palestinian inmates winter clothing

In a separate development on Thursday, the Palestinian Information Center said that authorities at Israel’s Ofer prison had taken several punitive measures against 12 Palestinian inmates.

The report, citing the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS), added that Israeli authorities at the jail refused to provide Palestinian inmates with winter clothing, a move that angered prisoners and prompted them not to leave the visit room in protest.

After the protest, Israeli authorities took a number of punitive measures against Palestinian prisoners, including isolating them for 24 hours, fining them 200 shekels each, depriving them of receiving visits and using the commissary for a month.

More than 7,000 Palestinians are reportedly held in Israeli jails. Hundreds of them have apparently been incarcerated under the "administrative detention". Some prisoners have been held in administrative detention for up to 11 years.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk