The Palestinian Prisoners Club (Nadi Al-Asir) said that the prisoners in the jails of Rimon, Eishel, Nafha, Asqalan and Negev would not receive their meals to protest against restrictions on family visits.
The club added that the prisoners are also striking against the Israeli measure of forcing female visitors to strip completely before seeing their relatives in prisons.
It added that the prisoners launched the strike “after the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) ignored their demands to improve their living conditions.” It added that Palestinian prisoners are experiencing the worst ever living conditions in Israeli jails.
The strikers want improved food quality, eased restrictions on family visits, more access to university education, access to books, telephones, Arab satellite channels, a cessation of strip searches, end of solitary confinement and financial fines on prisoners.
Qaddoura Faris, head of Nadi Al-Asir and former Minister of Prisoners Affairs, warned the prisoners might step up their protest if their demands are not met.
Faris called on Palestinian political movements and Palestinian people to “support the prisoners in their just resistance against Israeli violations.”
The Palestinian prisoners have held dozens of hunger strikes since the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories in 1967.
Abdulqader Abu Al-Fahem was the first Palestinian prisoner to die after 15 days of hunger strike at the Asqalan prison in 1970. The prisoners Rasim Halaweh, Alial-Ja'fari and Ishaq Maragheh died in the Nafha prison in 1980 after 32 days of hunger strike. The prisoners Anees Douleh and Hussein Obaidat died in 1992 after 15 days of hunger strike. Palestinian statistics say there are 6,700 Palestinians currently held in 10 prisons and three detention camps in Israel and in the West Bank. There are 300 prisoners under the age of 18.
Israel also holds 37 women and 13 members of the Palestine Legislative Council.
Meanwhile, Israel forces operating in West Bank cities on early Monday arrested 16 Palestinian terror suspects.
Israeli and Palestinian security sources said that the suspects were arrested in the cities of Bethlehem, Qalqilyah and Ramallah. The sources said they were taken in for questioning by Shin Bet (Israeli internal intelligence agency).
