GAZA, May 14 (KUNA) -- Six Palestinian longtime hunger striking prisoners refused Monday to end their protest against the Israeli policy of arbitrary detention until they are released.
The prisoners, including Belal Thiyab and Tha'er Halahleh who have been on hunger strike for the 77th day, insist that the ruling of an Israeli court for their administrative detention until next August is illegal so they should be released immediately, Thiyab's brother Bassam told KUNA here this evening.
Under the Israeli ruling, the administrative detention terms of Halahleh and Thiyab expire on August 6 and August 14 respectively, Bassam Thiyab noted.
He identified the four other prisoners who go on the hunger strike as Hassan Al-Safadi - on hunger strike 72 days ago, Mahmoud Al-Sersek - 57 days, Omar Abu-Shallal - 69 days, and Jaafar Ezzeddin - 54 days.
Earlier today the leaders of the Palestinian hunger striking prisoners and Israel Prison Service (IPS) reached an Egyptian-brokered deal to end the strike in exchange for non-extension of the administrative detention.
Meanwhile, Minister of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs in the Palestinian Government in the West Bank Issa Qaraqe said a committee headed to Al-Ramlah Prison in Israel in order to convince the six prisoners of ending the strike.
The committee is made up of the leaders of the strike Bassam Al-Sa'doun - a detained Jihad movement leader, and advocate Jawad Boles - representative of the Palestinian Al-Aseer (detainee) club, Qaraqe told reporters at a tent set up by sympathizers with the detainees in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
The results of the committee meeting with the prisoners have yet to be known, the minister added. (pickup previous) mzt.nq.gb KUNA 142300 May 12NNNN