Palestinian prisoner enters 67th day on hunger strike

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - Hassan Shukah, a Palestinian prisoner in solitary confinement in Israel’s Ramleh Prison, entered his 67th day on hunger strike on Friday.

According to the Palestinian Prisoners Society, Shukah -- who is waging a hunger strike to protest his ongoing placement in what Israel calls “administrative detention” -- was recently taken to Israel’s Kapalan medical center following an abrupt deterioration of his health.

Shukah, 30, was first placed in administrative detention in 2017. After waging a 35-day hunger strike, he reached an agreement with the Israeli authorities to be released in June of this year.

However, after being placed in administrative detention again following the expiry of his prison term, he launched a second hunger strike, which remains ongoing until now.

Israel’s longstanding policy of administrative detention allows it to jail suspects -- without trial or charge -- for renewable periods of up to three months.

According to Palestinian figures, over 6,400 Palestinians are currently in Israeli custody, some 550 of whom have been placed in administrative detention.