Palestinian prisoners to launch mass hunger strike in protest at Israeli rights abuses

Palestinian prisoners languishing in Israeli jails are set to launch an open-ended collective hunger strike in protest against the regime’s massive rights violations, mistreatments, and repressive measures. 

The Supreme National Emergency Committee for Palestinian Prisoners said on Thursday that the inmates will be starting the mass hunger strike on March 25.

The report said the situation in Israeli prisons is escalating, as the Israel Prison Service (IPS) refuses to meet the demands of the prisoners.

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PSS) confirmed the news, saying detainees across all Israeli prisons have been preparing for the strike.

Separately, the PPS also said Israeli special forces on Wednesday stormed the cells of Palestinian inmates at the notorious Nafha prison in Beersheba.

A number of Palestinian prisoners were sent into solitary confinement where they were blocked access to essential services.  

Arab League urges ICC to pursue probe of Israeli war crimes

The Arab League Ministerial Council calls on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to proceed with its investigation into the war crimes committed by the Israeli regime against the defenseless Palestinian people.

Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention have recently taken a series of actions against restrictions imposed on them by Israeli authorities.

The developments come as hundreds of Palestinian administrative detainees continue their boycott of Israeli military courts for the 76th consecutive day in protest against the so-called policy of administrative detention.

At least 500 inmates have been refusing to show up for their military court hearings since the beginning of the year. The boycott includes hearings for the renewal of administrative detention orders as well as appeal hearings and later sessions at Israel’s Supreme Court.

The Palestinian resistance groups and several political factions have warned Israel against causing harm and endangering the lives of prisoners.

More than 7,000 Palestinian prisoners are currently held in about 17 Israeli jails. Hundreds of detainees, including women and minors, are being held under administrative detention. Rights groups describe Israel’s use of the detention system as a “bankrupt tactic” and have long called on Israel to end its use.

Israel puts two more Palestinian minors into administrative detention

The 17-year-old duo is being held in the Megiddo detention center without charge or trial.

Under the administrative detention, Israel keeps Palestinians without charge for up to six months, a period that can be extended an infinite number of times. Women and minors are also among those detainees. The detention takes place on orders from a military commander and on the basis of what the Israeli regime describes as ‘secret’ evidence. Some prisoners have been held in administrative detention for up to 11 years.

Palestinians and human rights groups say the administrative detention violates the right to due process since evidence is withheld from prisoners while they are held for lengthy periods without being charged, tried, or convicted.

The prisoners have also been subjected to systematic torture, harassment, and repression all through the years of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.

Palestinian detainees have continuously resorted to open-ended hunger strikes to express their outrage.

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