Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahleh on 77th day; health crisis for Ahed Abu Ghoulmeh

May 14, 2012 Samidoun

Various reports of a potential agreement to end the hunger strike have been circulating, but it is important to note that none of these reports are confirmed, and that the Central Committee of the Leadership of the Strike is the only body that can make such an agreement, announce it or speak to it. Both Addameer and the official PalHunger twitter account have emphasized that such reports are definitely unconfirmed and solidarity is needed now as much as before.

 

The health situation of Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahleh, now on their 77th day of open hunger strike, continues to be quite severe, as does that of Hassan Safadi and the other long-term hunger strikers (Omar Abu Shalal, Mohammed al-Taj, Mahmoud Sarsak, Faris al-Natour, Jafar Ezz al-Din, Abdallah Barghouthi). Bilal and Thaer are continuing on their hunger strike; in a concession by the Israelis, Bilal was allowed to phone his family for the first time yesterday, as reported by the Palestine Information Centre. His family reported his ongoing strength and commitment to the strike.

Thaer Halahleh’s letter to his daughter was widely circulated worldwide as he reached the 76th day of hunger strike – both Bilal and Thaer have written wills to send to their families as they face a severe health crisis, not having eaten for 77 days.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine reported that Ahed Abu Ghoulmeh, a PFLP leader, isolated prisoner and one of the members of the Central Committee of the Leadership of the Strike is facing a severe health crisis as the prisoners reach 27 days of hunger strike – and that the occupation Prison Services are denying him treatment, having refused multiple times to send him to a hospital despite requests by fellow isolated prisoner Hassan Salameh and his lawyer. He is vomiting blood, has vomited bile, and fell three times.

Meanwhile, Kamal Issa, one of the hunger striking prisoners, declared that he will stop drinking water, as reported by the Palestine Information Centre, as an escalation in the strike.