Palestinian prisoners will begin an open hunger strike on Sunday in protest against Israel’s use of administrative detention and the inhumane treatment they receive, the official Palestinian news WAFA reported.

The decision comes a week after the Palestinian National Prisoners’ Movement announced the formation of a special sub-committee for prisoners held under administrative detention – without charge or trial – in Israel’s prisons.

According to Palestinian NGO Addameer, the number of Palestinians subjected to administrative detention has increased sharply, reaching levels unseen over the past two decades.

Cancer-Stricken Palestinian Prisoner Walid Daqqa Moved to Hospital

Israeli occupation authorities have issued or renewed 1,302 administrative detention orders since the start of 2023, raising the number of administrative detainees inside Israeli jails to 1,200.

“In 2022, Palestinian administrative detainees took a stand against the farcical nature of Israeli Military Courts and initiated a boycott. This courageous act of defiance aimed to expose the inherent biases and lack of fair proceedings within these courts: a military court of a civilian, a trial without defense, and a prison term without a charge,” said Addameer.

The Palestinian National Prisoners’ Movement also called for free people around the world to campaign in solidarity with prisoner Walid Daqqa and put pressure on the Israeli occupation to release him before it is too late. Daqqa has been detained since 1986 and was sentenced to life imprisonment for resisting the occupation. He suffers from cancer and his health continues to deteriorate due to Israel’s systematic policy of medical negligence.

(MEMO, PC)