Despite his deteriorating health condition and the escalating risks to his life, administrative detainee Khalil Awawda said he is ongoing the hunger strike for the 161 day, demanding canceling the Administrative Detention order, not freezing it.
In a short statement, Awawda said that he is ongoing with the hunger strike, despite the serious risks, until the arbitrary orders are voided.
His video statement came during a visit with his lawyer shortly after the Israeli High court issued a ruling “freezing” his detention orders instead of voiding them.
“My courageous Palestinian people, peace, and mercy of Allah be upon you, my respect to you, your efforts and your solidarity, my respect to you for remaining steadfast on your land and striving to achieve your freedom. Victory only comes from God. This decision to freeze the Administrative Detention orders does not mean canceling them,” he said, “I will continue the strike until a ruling is made for canceling the Administrative Detention orders….”
Awawda held a hunger strike that lasted for 111 days and only ended it after reaching a verbal agreement for his release before Israel reneged on the agreement and slapped him with a new four-month Administrative Detention order prompting him to relaunch the strike.
Also, two detained siblings, Adal Mousa, 34, and Ahmad Mousa, 44, from the Al-Khader town, south of Bethlehem, started a hunger strike fourteen days earlier at the Ofer Israeli prison, protesting their Administrative Detention.
Israel is holding captive 640 Palestinians under arbitrary Administrative Detention orders without charges or trial; they are among at least 4600 detainees imprisoned by Israel.
It is worth mentioning that Administrative Detainees in Israeli prisons continue to boycott the Israeli military courts for the 189th day, demanding to be released or at least face charges.
Israel issued more than 54.000 Administrative Detention orders since it occupied the rest of Palestine in 1967.
When Israel slaps a detainee with an Administrative Detention order and continuously renews the orders for many months, it claims to have “secret files” that neither the detainees nor their lawyers can access.
Administrative Detention orders are usually renewed for three, four, six, or eight months at a time, and sometimes one year.
