Palestinians go on overall strike in support of hunger-striking prisoners

Palestinians across the occupied territories staged on Monday an overall strike in support of the Palestinian detainees who have been on a hunger-strike for 36th day.

Life was brought to a standstill in the West Bank, al Quds and 1948 territories with all shops, government institutions and schools shutting down their doors. 

Around 1,600 Palestinian prisoners are staging a hunger strike to protest continued administrative detention, solitary confinement, denial of family visits and medical negligence.

The overall strike is called for by the national committee after Israeli authorities refused holding direct negotiations with strike leaderships to study their demands.

The prisoners began their “Freedom and Dignity" strike, that was called for by former Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, on April 17.

The Israel Prison Service (IPS) has continued to punish the hunger-striking detainees by placing them in solitary confinement and denied family and legal visits of their lawyers since the strike began on the Palestinian Prisoners’ Day.

Israeli prisons hold around 6,500 Palestinians, including 300 minors. Some of the inmates are held under Tel Aviv’s policy of administrative detention, which enables confinement without charge.

Source: MENA