After 92 days of hunger strike, Mahmoud al-Sarsak resumed eating once Israeli prison authorities agreed to release him on July 10th, however other hunger-striking prisoners continue to be mistreated as their health deteriorates.Having endured the longest hunger strike in the history of the Palestinian Prisoners Movement, according to the Palestinian News Network, al-Sarsak and the Israel Prison Service signed a deal ending his strike in exchange for the promise of being released after 3 years of imprisonment without charge or trial. As he awaits his freedom, al-Sarsak will receive treatment for his frail condition in a civilian hospital in Tel Aviv.
The health of other prisoners who have also been on hunger strike is declining to dangerous levels, reports Ma’an News Agency. Akram al-Rekhawi has been on hunger strike for 66 days and was hospitalized in a civilian facility on Tuesday before being moved back to the Ramle prison clinic. Jawad Boulus reported to Ma’an that al-Rekhawi had his arms and legs cuffed to the bed while he was being examined. Upon his return, al-Rekhawi also told Boulus that while he was in the hospital “Israeli prison guards had raided his cell and confiscated all his belongings.”
Al-Rekhawi, who was arrested in 2004, suffers from various health conditions worsened by his his hunger strike to the point that his life is in danger. An Israeli court recently rejected his request for medical release.
