Palestinian prisoners in Israel plan hunger strike on Thursday

RAMALLAH, Palestine

Fifteen sick Palestinian detainees will stage a hunger strike on Thursday to protest their prison conditions in Israel, according to a local NGO.

“The strike aims to protest their harsh prison conditions amid a rise in the number of sick detainees and a policy of medical negligence” pursued by prison authorities, the Palestinian Prisoner Society said in a statement.

The prisoners want Israeli prison authorities to provide them with medical attention within a short time, particularly for detainees with chronic diseases.

There was no comment from the Israeli authorities on the move.

According to Palestinian figures, Israel currently detains some 4,800 Palestinian detainees, including 700 sick prisoners.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar