Hunger-striking Palestinian inmates face death: Officials

Palestinian officials have warned that some of the striking prisoners in Israeli jails may die as Tel Aviv refuses to respond to their demands.

Palestinian Authority (PA) officials said on Wednesday that some of the hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners may die in Israeli jails over Tel Aviv’s refusal to respond to their demands.

The Palestinian Minister of Detainees, Issa Qaraqe, says some of the strikers are in a very grave condition.

Qaraqe said most of them are throwing up blood and fainting. The Palestinian official added that Israeli prison authorities would not care, even if the prisoners died.

He called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to move against what he called Israel’s intransigence.

Some 120 Palestinian prisoners have been on hunger strike for over a month now.

A few days ago dozens more Palestinian prisoners joined in, demanding an end to Israel’s arbitrary administrative detention of Palestinians.

Now officials say all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails are likely to join the strike over the next few days.

Administrative orders allow Israeli authorities to keep Palestinians in without trial for up to six months or indefinitely.

On Tuesday, a large number of activists staged a mass hunger strike outside the Red Crescent headquarters in Ramallah to show solidarity with Palestinian prisoners.

Over 800,000 Palestinians have been detained since 1967, with 5,224 currently being held in Israeli prisons, according to the Palestinian Liberation Organization.