Palestinian prisoners' hunger strike gains momentum as more prepare to join

A hunger strike by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails may gain further momentum in the coming days, following warnings by more inmates that they will join the action if demands are not met.

On Wednesday, some 250 prisoners affiliated to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement began the strike in response to dire conditions and punitive measures meted out by Israeli authorities following the Gilboa jailbreak in September.

A statement from the Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS) carried by Quds Press said that more inmates would join the “resistance programme” if demands are not met.

"If the IPS does not meet the demands of the hunger strikers and lift its sanctions imposed on the prisoners affiliated with the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine, prisoners from other groups will join the hunger strike,” the statement said.

Since the Gilboa prison break in early September, when six Palestinian prisoners escaped from a high-security jail, Israeli authorities have carried out a crackdown on inmates, separating and transferring hundreds within the Israeli prison system.

The latest hunger strike reportedly has the support of all Palestinian factions, according to the PPC.