Gazans run in support of jailed Palestinians in Israel

By Mohamed Majed

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – Scores of Palestinians participated in a race in the blockaded Gaza Strip on Saturday in support of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

"We are running today in solidarity with Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons," Mohamed Farwana, a spokesman for Hamas's student wing, which organized the race, addressed participants.

Some 200 runners took part in the race, which kicked off in Gaza City.

"This marathon is a message to the international community that the siege on Gaza won't prevent us from defending our prisoners," Farwana said.

He went on to call on all Palestinian factions "to join hands to break the siege and tackle the issue of detainees in Israeli jails".

There are around 6,500 Palestinian prisoners in prisons throughout Israel, according to official Palestinian figures.

Since 2007, the Gaza Strip has groaned under a crippling Israeli embargo that has deprived the coastal enclave’s 2 million inhabitants of basic commodities, including food, fuel and medicine.