Lawyer Ali Sa’ady of the Palestinian Ministry of Detainees managed to visit three hunger-striking detainees at the al-Jalama Israeli Prison, who told him that Israel forced them into solitary confinement, under very difficult conditions.Sa’ady said the detainees are held in cells “darker and colder than graves” since they joined the hunger strike, and are denied basic rights guaranteed by International Law.
He managed to visit Abbas as-Sayyed from Tulkarem, Hasan Salama from Gaza, and Mahmoud Shreiteh from Hebron, who told him their cells are not fit for human use.
In addition, detainee Salama said that Israel ordered him into solitary confinement for 14 days, likely to be extended at any given moment, and also decided to deny family visits to striking detainees for two months.
Salama added that the cells are too small, too dark and lack fundamental components; they have no soap, towels, and covers, in addition to the fact that the detainees have to keep wearing the same clothes.
He further stated that the soldiers are very cruel to them; repeatedly attack and mistreat them, in an attempt to push them to end their strike, and abandon their legitimate demands.
On his part, detainee as-Sayyed stated that Israel is deliberately placing the striking detainees into solitary confinement to pressure them physically and psychologically, in addition to the serious risks resulting from the bad conditions in those dirty cells that are also humid and unfit for human use.
He added that dozens of striking detainees are in serious health conditions, with many facing life-threatening health issues.
Talking at the Ez-Zitouna University in Jordan on Saturday, Palestinian Minister of detainees Issa Qaraqe’, stated that 1,500 “will join the strike on Sunday, June 1”, and that the situation could escalate especially since a number of striking detainees face serious health conditions that could result in their deaths.
Qaraqe’ added that all detainees who have been striking for more than 30 days are now in hospitals, and that some of them have internal bleeding, while others have lost consciousness, with many requiring surgeries, but are ongoing with their strike.
