Israeli Army Violently Quell March in Support of Hunger Striking Prisoners in Israeli Jails

Rasa - Three Palestinians were injured during clashes that broke out in al-Bireh, Ramallah, between hundreds of Palestinians and Israeli forces after the latter violently suppressed a march in support of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli jails.

News ID: 429192

Date: 24 April 2017 - 23:44

RNA - Sources said three youths were hospitalized after getting shot by Israeli soldiers, two were reportedly shot with rubber-coated steel bullets, and the third was struck with the banned explosive “Tutu” bullets, WAFA reported.

Thousands of Palestinians across the occupied West Bank participated in marches in support of prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli jails. Solidarity tents were erected across the West Bank districts.

The marches kicked off in support of the “Freedom and Dignity” open-ended mass hunger strike, which was launched last week by more than 1500 Palestinian prisoners to protest the difficult humanitarian conditions in Israeli jails.

The open-ended mass hunger strike has entered its seventh day.

The Israeli Prison Service moves around striking prisoners in an attempt to disperse them, while isolating others. Israeli prison guards carry out wide-scale inspection operations among the striking prisoners and seize their properties.

The prisoners are demanding to be moved to prisons in the occupied territories as per the Fourth Geneva Convention, which would make it easier for their families to visit them, as well as lifting restrictions on family visits and better treatment at military checkpoints.

Other demands include an improvement of access to medical care increasing visit duration from 45 to 90 minutes, families of women prisoners meet without glass barriers to allow mothers to hold their children, an improvement in detention conditions including easing restrictions on the entry of books, clothing, food and other gifts from family members, restoring some educational facilities, and installing phones to enable prisoners to communicate with their families.

The total number of political prisoners currently held in Israeli jails has reached 6500 prisoners, including 500 administrative detainees, 300 children, and 57 females.

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