Issa Qaraqe’, the head of the Palestinian Detainees’ Committee, has reported that 500 detainees, held by Israel under arbitrary Administrative Detention orders without charges or trial, have decided to start a hunger strike next week.
Qaraqe’ said the detainees will gradually join the hunger strike, and will continue the boycott of military courts, which confine them for months, and even years, under Administrative Detention orders, without charges.
Speaking of the Palestinian Radio, Qaraqe’ said the 500 detainees are determined to continue the boycott of military courts and intend to expand the hunger strike.
“Administrative detainees are facing escalating and serious violations; they are held without charges under what Israel calls a ‘secret file’ which neither them nor their lawyers have access to,” he said, “We all need to support them, stand in solidarity with them, and as history tells us, including what happened in last year’s strike, the army will impose even stricter punitive measures against them, including the use of force.”
Statistics released by the Palestinian Detainees’ Committee in late March this year, revealed that the number of detainees, held by Israel, have exceeded 6500, including 350 children and 62 women, among them 21 mothers and eight children.
Besides the 500 Administrative Detainees, Israel is also holding, and 1800 patients, including 700 who require specialized medical treatment.
