The hunger strike launched in April by more than 1500 Palestinian prisoners ended on May 27 when the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) agreed to key concessions to improve the prisoners’ conditions.
The announcement of the end of the 41-day hunger strike, coinciding with the start of Ramadan, was greeted with relief and joy by prisoners’ families and supporters across Palestine and the world. By the time the deal to improve conditions to end the hunger strike was struck, about 800 prisoners were still participating.
Conditions for Palestinian prisoners have always been harsh, sparking many prisoner protests and hunger strikes. However, this round of hunger strike was different in the support it garnered across Palestinian factions, as well as in the wider Palestinian community and international solidarity movement.
As well as the concessions won, these hunger strikes have achieved two things: attracted a growing base of support for the Palestinian prisoners’ struggle and highlighted how few tools of protest Palestinian prisoners have at their disposal.
The prisoners have won a range of concessions from the IPS. It remains to be seen if all concessions will be implemented, but they include several of the prisoners’ key demands over family visits.
Read the full article by Lisa Gleeson at Green Left Weekly.