Ahram Online
February 19, 2013 - 1:00am
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/65078/World/Region/Israel-to-hold-ur...


Israel's Magistrate Court calls for an urgent court hearing on Tuesday for Palestinian prisoner Samer Al-Issawi, who has been on a hunger strike for 210 days.

Al-Issawi was released from Israeli detention in October 2011 as part of the prisoner swap deal between Hamas and Israeli authorities.

However, the Israeli authorities rearrested Al-Issawi on 7 July, 2012 for allegedly breaking the terms of conditions of his release.

Thirty-three-year-old Al-Issawi’s health has been deteriorating as he escalated his strike, starting February, when he stopped drinking water, taking vitamins and boycotted all medical tests after refusing food.

The Palestinian hunger striker is suffering various health problems, including losing 47 kilos, general weakness, protein shortages, sugar shortage, deteriorated visions, and others.

The scope of the hunger strike has posed a new challenge to Israel, which has come under international criticism over detentions without trial and could face a violent Palestinian backlash if any of the prisoners die.

Earlier this week, Akram Al-Rikhawi, a Palestinian prisoner who last year staged a hunger strike, was freed from an Israeli prison and returned to his home in the Gaza Strip.




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