Palestinian prisoner ends hunger strike after deal for release

By Mohammad Ghefari

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – A Palestinian prisoner in Israel has suspended his open-ended hunger strike after reaching a deal for his release.

Hisham Abu Hawwash had staged a hunger strike for over 141 days to protest his arrest without trial under Israel’s policy of administrative detention.

His lawyer Jawad Boulos said the prisoner agreed to suspend his strike after Israel agreed to release him on February 26.
“Abu Hawwash will remain at the hospital until he recovers,” he added in a statement.

Hassan Abd Rabbo, spokesman for the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)'s committee for prisoners' affairs, said the prisoner will be released after the end of his current detention order on February 26.

The news of Abu Hawwash’s release has sparked celebrations in his hometown of Dura, west of Hebron city in the occupied West Bank.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh congratulated Abu Hawwash and his family for his release and thanked countries that piled pressure on Israel to release the prisoner.

Abu Hawwash was detained by Israeli forces on October 27, 2020 and placed under administrative detention, a policy that allows Israel to detain anyone for six months without charge or trial.

According to Palestinian NGOs, there are around 4,650 Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails, including at least 500 held without charge or trial.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara