Palestinian inmates in Israeli jails begin major hunger strike

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) said more than 2,000 prisoners were also set to join the strike action on Thursday, the first day of the holy month of Ramadan.

The major grievance of the prisoners is the repressive measures adopted upon orders from the far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

The hunger strike is to draw attention to violations of the basic rights of the Palestinian prisoners. The inmates are denied access to basic medical care and are frequently subjected to torture.

Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners are held under administrative detention, in which Israel keeps the detainees without charge for up to six months, a period which can be extended an infinite number of times. Rights groups say Israel’s use of administrative detention is a ‘bankrupt tactic.’

There are reportedly more than 7,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

Israeli jail authorities keep the prisoners under deplorable conditions without proper hygienic standards.

On Monday, the Israeli parliament, known as the Knesset, voted to allow settlers to return to areas in the northern part of the occupied West Bank which were evacuated in 2005.

The move prompted a strong denunciation from the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas. Spokesman Jihad Taha said the passing of the bill was meant to Judaize Palestinian territories, but that it would only boost the spirit of resistance among the Palestinian youth.

The decision of resettlement in four outposts came less than a week after Israeli officials reaffirmed a pledge to Palestinian authorities that they would not be advancing any settlement plans for at least four months.