Palestinian held by Israel demands freedom to end hunger strike
RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – A hunger-striking Palestinian held by Israel has vowed to continue his protest until he is released from detention.
Khalil Awawdeh, 40, began his hunger strike five months ago to protest his detention without trial or charge by Israeli authorities.
Israel follows the widely criticized policy of ‘administrative detention,’ according to which people can be identified on the basis of suspicion and be detained as a preventive measure, without charge or trial. The policy is seen by international human rights organizations as a violation of basic human rights.
As part of an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire that brought a recent Israeli offensive on Gaza to a halt last Sunday, Cairo said it will seek to ensure the release of Awawdeh and Islamic Jihad detainee Bassam Al-Saadi.
Israeli authorities transferred Awawdeh to hospital on Thursday as his health deteriorated.
“I will not end my hunger strike until gaining freedom,” his wife, Dalal Khalil, quoted Awawdeh as saying in a statement released by the Palestinian Prisoner Society.
Awawdeh’s wife met him on Saturday at hospital in a visit mediated by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
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