The main Palestinian media outlets revealed on Wednesday that the Israeli Penitentiary Service (IPS) applied measures since last night against the members of the Supreme National Emergency Committee, which brings together inmates from all factions.
According to the WAFA news agency, the IPS isolated Ammar Mardi, who represents the Fatah movement, and Salama al-Qatawi, from the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), and transferred Muhammad al-Tus, dean of the Palestinian prisoners, in prison since 1985; Walid Hanatsheh, from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); Zaid Bsisi, from Islamic Jihad, and Bassem Khandakji, from the Popular Party.
All of them began a hunger strike yesterday, which will be joined by nearly two thousand prisoners this Thursday, the first day of Ramadan, the holy month for Muslims.
The Prisoners and Former Prisoners Commission announced that PFLP General Secretary Ahmed Saadat will be one of the main leaders starting the new phase of protest tomorrow. Marwan Barghouti, one of the top leaders of Fatah, will also join the hunger strike. Both Saadat and Barghouti have been in prison for over two decades.
Palestinians have been holding for 36 days various protests against the measures applied by the IPS and promoted by the Minister of National Security of Israel, the far-right, Itamar Ben Gvir.
The movement was launched on February 14th in the Nahfa prison after the authorities adopted various punitive measures, including cutting off water.
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