Palestinian inmate goes on hunger strike

Amani Khandakji is being held without formal charges under an Israeli system called “administrative detention” in Askalan prison since March 20th.

According to Ad-dameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, Khandakji began her hunger strike on the first day of her arrest, joining Hana Shalabi, who refused to eat since mid-February.

Currently, 26 Palestinian prisoners are on hunger strike to protest against their imprisonment by Israel without formal charges. Administrative detention allows the Israeli military to hold people indefinitely without charging them or allowing them to stand trial.

Activists say Shalabi is in grave danger of dying and that she has lost 14 kilograms, her muscles are wasting and she is in excruciating pain.

Palestinians have staged several rallies in support of Shalabi and to demand her immediate release since her arrest. Richard Falk, the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestinian human rights, has also called on Tel Aviv to release Shalabi.

Shalabi was among more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners released in October 2011 in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, she was later re-arrested and sent back to prison.

According to Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics and prisoner advocacy groups, there are currently over 6000 Palestinian prisoners, including legislators, in Israeli jails, many of whom have been rounded up without charge or trial. Independent sources put the number of the inmates at 11,000.

HM/JR/IS

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