Palestinian Chairman of the Committee for Prisoners Affairs Eissa Qaraqea said that the strike of prisoners in the Israeli occupation prisons entered a dangerous phase, due to the deterioration of the health conditions of a number of them, especially among the old prisoners.
He added, in an interview with “Arabs Today”, that they received reports from Red Cross organization over the increase of the number of its working staff in prisons due to the deterioration of the situation of many of the striking prisoners. He added that a large number of them have been transferred to the hospitals to receive treatment, blaming the Israeli authorities for the increasing pressure exerted on the prisoners.
He warned, “The strike came at a critical stage on its fifteenth day in the face of persistent attempts by the administration of Israeli prisons and the Israeli government to stop this strike.” He blamed the Israeli government for its failure to reach a compromise through conducting a dialogue with the prisoners committees in the different prisons or to appear readiness to respond to some of the demands raised by prisoners to ease their strike.
He added that the prisoners issue became a top priority for the Palestinian national movement, stressing that this strike escalates the matters in the Palestinian territories, raising the state of concern for the Israeli occupation.
He praised the popular interaction with the prisoners’ strike, saying that a large number of Palestinian organizations and syndicates launched marches to express solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners in the Israeli prison. He added that the current prisoners’ battles became the battle of all Palestinian people.
He stressed, “It is the first time for the Palestinian people to organize such inclusive strike for years. We should appreciate the role performed by the Palestinian private sector to extend the strike to all the Palestinian governorates.”
He added, “The strike is considered the beginning of our support for the Palestinian prisoners in the Israeli prisons.” He blamed the Israeli authorities for adopting repressive approach against the prisoners, calling the international organizations of human rights for monitoring violations against the prisoners.