13 Palestinian hunger strikers in serious danger: Lawyer

Jawad Bolous, the chief attorney for the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society, said on Sunday that 13 of the hunger strikers have been suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding over the past few days.
 
Two of the inmates underwent surgery, while Israeli officials told the rest that they could not be treated unless their hunger strikes ended, he added.
 
Some 290 Palestinians are on hunger strike to express their opposition to the Israeli “administrative detention,” which is a sort of imprisonment without trial or charge that allows Israel to incarcerate Palestinians for up to six months. The detention order can be renewed for indefinite periods of time. More than 120 of the hunger strikers have been refusing food since April 24.
 
Bolous also noted that another two prisoners needed intensive care as they lost consciousness and several others are suffering from eyesight weakness.
 
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) says some 5,224 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli jails.
 
On June 6, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon voiced concerns over the deteriorating health of Palestinian detainees in administrative detention. He reiterated “his long-standing position that administrative detainees should be charged or released without delay.”