HAMAS CALLS FOR INT’L SUPPORT FOR HUNGER STRIKING DETAINEES

Gaza City, 2 Rajab 1435/1 May 2014 (MINA) – The Hamas Movement called on the world’s free people and human rights organizations to support the cause of the Palestinian administrative detainees and expose Israel’s violations against them.

In a press release on Monday, Hamas hailed the steadfastness of 200 hunger striking administrative detainees in the face of all Israeli punitive measures taken against them in an attempt to dissuade them from their protest step, Al-Qassam quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The Movement said that Israel’s suppression of the administrative detainees through locking them in isolation cells and depriving them of any medical care is a crime punishable under international law.

It stressed that Israel’s persistent violations against the prisoners, especially those who are detained administratively, are desperate attempts to break their will and determination to extract their rights.

According to the Palestinian Prisoner’s Club about 200 hundred detainees, held in Israeli jails, will on Thursday begin a hunger strike, the o protest against them being imprisoned without charge or trial, Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) reports.

In a press release by the Prisoner’s Club it is stated that 80 detainees from Ofer prison, 55 from Naqab prison and 65 from Megiddo will partake hunger strike. Reportedly the Israeli Prison Service will attempt to undermine the move with a transfer campaign against administrative detainees in Naqab prison.

The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported that 200 detainees, held by Israel under arbitrary Administrative Detention orders, without charges or trial, started an open-ended hunger strike protesting their continued illegitimate imprisonment.

The PPS added that the striking detainees are held in 3 prisons; 80 in Ofer, 55 in the Negev Detention Camp, and 65 in Majeddo, International Middle East Media Center (IMEMC) reported.

It further reported that the Israeli Prison Administration started counter measures in an attempt to curb strike, including transforming several detainees to different tents in the Negev Detention Camp.

Israel is holding captive more than 5000 Palestinians, including 19 women and 200 children; around 567 of thedetainees have been sentenced to at least one life term.(T/P02/P04).

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)