Act now: more Palestinian hunger strikers in hospital with serious health problems

Yesterday, Palestinian lawmaker and leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Ahmad Saadat was moved to Ramleh prison hospital by the Israeli Prison Service, according to Maan News Agency.

Saadat joined the mass hunger strike which started on 17 April. One day earlier, Muhammad Halas was moved to an Israeli hospital after 12 days without food, according to Maan. More than 60 days ago, Palestinian political prisoners Bilal Diab and Thaer Halaheh went on hunger strike to protest their administrative detention.

Today, I received information that the Israel Prison Service transferred Palestinian hunger striker Ghazi Kan’an from Gilboa prison to hospital as a result of his declining health. All these hunger strikers face severe health threats, including Palestinian lawmaker Jamal al-Natshe. Join the actions in support of the prisoners!

Ramleh Prison Hospital

On Thursday, 3 May 17:30h a sit in will be organized in front of Ramleh prison hospital in solidarity with the Palestinian hunger strikers. Some of the hunger strikers are held in Ramleh prison hospital - chained to their beds. The organizers write in their call for action:

As to the eight prisoners who had started the hunger strike before April 17th, most of them are lying in the Ramleh prison’s hospital ward. In addition to Diab and Halahleh, these are Hasan As-Safadi - on hunger strike since 57 days; Omar Abu Shalal - on hunger strike since 55 days; Mahmoud Sursoq - since 39 days; Jafar E’zz Ed-Deen - since 40 days; Mohammed Rafiq Et-taj- since 44 days and Abdullah Barghouti- since 19 days.

The organizers call upon all Palestinians and supporters of the Palestinian cause and the great prisoners’ strike to join the sit-in, to show support for the prisoners and raise their morale in the ongoing hunger strike.

London, England

Daily protests opposite 10 Downing Street from 30 April until 5 May, 18:00 – 19:00.

To keep the pressure on the British government to intervene to end Israel’s administrative detention, and to call for the release of all the Palestinian political prisoners now.

Ramallah

May 1 - and every following Tuesday - at 11:00 am Addameer organizes a demonstration outside the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Ramallah in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners.

On 29 April a rally was held in Ramallah in support of the hunger strikers

Gaza

Tuesday 1 May a mass rally will be held in the Field of the Unknown Soldier, according to Samidoun. Thursday, 3 May from 10:00 until 11:00 there will be a strike followed by a march organized by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Friday, May 4, prayers and rally for the prisoners

Saturday, May 5, 11:00 mass rally in the Field of the Unknown Soldier

Twitter campaign

Calls for a general strike on International Workers’ Day - 1 May - in Gaza, the West Bank, and in exile and diaspora circulate widely on Twitter using hashtag #PalHunger among others.

Protests are taking place around the world and throughout Palestine – but more action is urgently needed as the lives of the Palestinian hunger strikers are under threat.