Raids in Ashkelon, Nafha prisons as thousands join hunger strike

Wednesday 5 October 2011

Raids in Ashkelon, Nafha prisons as thousands join hunger strike

[ 04/10/2011 - 09:48 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- Special units raided cells in the Israeli Ashkelon and Nafha prisons as thousands of Palestinian prisoners have joined a seven day hunger strike.

Waed prisoner rights organization said Metzada and Nahshon forces, specializing in the suppression of prisoners, raided Monday evening Section 13 of Nafha prison, without going into more detail.

Sources following up on developments in the prisons said Israeli special units raided cells in Ashkelon prison amid a barrage of teargas after cutting power off in the entire facility.

Metzada forces raided the cells of some of the longest held prisoners, where is located prisoner Akram Mansour, who has already begun to suffer the effects of the hunger strike as he has been experiencing sporadic comas and other health problems.

The sources added that prisoners exclaimed “Allahu Akbar (Allah is greater)” and slammed doors in the face of the suppression operation, the results of which have yet to surface.

In a bid to disperse the prisoners, the Ofer prison administration moved Monday nine prisoners, who joined the strike, into isolation, Waed said, adding that all prisoners in Shata prison have been moved to Megiddo prison.

The supreme national committee, which represents all Palestinian prisoners in Negev prison, has officially declared joining the strike in an act of solidarity with the prisoners who face isolation in the Israeli prisons.

Palestinian factions (Hamas, Fatah, Islamic Jihad, PFLP, and DFLP) have all joined the strike in a partial manner.

Prisoners in Ofer prison, near Ramallah, have declared they would also join the strike.

There are a total of 2,500 prisoners in Ofer and Negev prisons, the largest with 1,700 prisoners.

Altogether, some 5,000 prisoners in 13 prisons are now participating in the strike.

Hayya champions capture of more soldiers to trade them for Palestinian prisoners

[ 04/10/2011 - 09:43 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- Khalil Hayya, a political bureau member of Hamas, has urged Palestinian resistance factions to capture more Israeli occupation soldiers or settlers to trade them for freedom of Palestinian freedom fighters held in occupation jails.

He told the Quds TV on Monday night that it was about time for all to realize that resistance is the only means to free Palestinian prisoners as what happened in the past when thousands were released in exchange deals with Israel.

Hayya said that Hamas and the Palestinian people were insistent on freeing all Palestinian prisoners.

Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails are currenlty on hunger strike to protest maltreatment on the part of Israeli jailors.