RAMALLAH
Palestinian resistance movement Hamas organized several rallies across the West Bank to show support for dozens of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails who have been on a hunger strike for almost a month.
Amid stepped-up security measures, hundreds of Hamas supporters staged marches in the West Bank cities of Ramallah, Al-Khalil (Hebron), Bethlehem, Jenin and Nablus.
Marchers shouted slogans and carried photos of hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners.
Friday's rallies are the latest in a series of demonstrations held to show support for 120 Palestinians held in "administrative detention" in Israel who have been on an open-ended hunger strike since April 24 to protest Israel's detention policy.
"Palestinians will keep up street pressure to resist the occupation and stand by the prisoners," Hussein Youssef, a leading Hamas figure, told Anadolu Agency on Friday.
"Administrative detention" is an Israeli policy by which Palestinian prisoners are held without trial, usually for reasons related to "security."
Administrative detention orders can range from one to six months in length and can be extended by up to five years by Israeli military courts.
Around 5000 Palestinians continue to languish in more than 20 detention facilities throughout Israel, according to a recent report by the Prisoners Center for Studies and Research, a Palestinian NGO.
These include 200 minors and 19 female prisoners, the report said.
Hamas has ruled the besieged Gaza Strip since 2007.
By Qais Abu Samra
www.aa.com.tr/en
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