Palestinians in East al-Quds hold demo in solidarity with hunger strikers

The protesters took to the streets after Friday prayers at the al-Aqsa Mosque in East al-Quds, demanding the release of Palestinian prisoners who have been on an open-ended hunger strike since mid-April.

An estimated 1,600 to 2,000 Palestinian prisoners began an open-ended hunger strike on April 17 to protest against Israel’s administrative detention policy, the use of solitary confinement, maltreatment of sick detainees, and the difficulty in securing family visits and strip searches that are imposed on visitors.

The protest comes two days after another demonstration outside UN offices in Ramallah, West Bank, in which protesters also called for the release of the jailed activists.

According to an April 1, 2012 report, published by the non-governmental Palestinian prisoner support and human rights association, Addameer, at least 4,610 “political” Palestinian prisoners are held in Israeli jails.

Addameer figures show 322 of the Palestinian prisoners are administrative detainees.