Palestinian hunger strikes reach critical stage

After 31 days, the mass Palestinian hunger strike continues, as prisoners reach critical point. Several dozen hunger-striking Palestinians have been transferred from their cells to special wings in Israeli prisons for additional medical supervision, a spokesman for the Israel Prison Service said Wednesday.

The ongoing hunger strike staged by approximately 1,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails this week entered its second month. Israel holds about 6,500 so-called security prisoners — Palestinians jailed for offenses ranging from stone-throwing and membership in organizations outlawed by Israel to attacks that killed or wounded Israelis. Several hundred Palestinians are being held without charges or trial, in so-called administrative detention.

The U.N.'s point person on human rights in occupied Palestine urged Israel to abide by international law and international standards of detention. In a written statement, Michael Lynk, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory under occupation, requested better and accessible health care, unrestrained family visits, and an end to solitary confinement and administrative detention for Palestinian hunger strikers.