Palestinians call off Israeli prison hunger strike

Ramallah:Palestinian inmates in Israeli jails called off a week-long hunger strike on Monday saying key demands had been met, according to prisoner representatives and official media.

Palestinian groups said hundreds of inmates began refusing food on April 8 after negotiations with prison authorities broke down.

Fears had been raised of a repeat of an 800-person hunger strike in 2017, which drew attention to prisoners’ conditions.

A statement from the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club non-governmental organisation said an agreement had been reached to end the strike.

The was no immediate reaction from the Israel Prison Service.

Prisoners had a list of the demands and their strike was supported by all major Palestinian factions.

Islamist group Hamas in particular has objected to new electronic jammers installed in some of the prisons, intended to block cellphone reception.

The Prisoners’ Club said the Israeli side had agreed to stop the jammers.

Official Palestinian news agency WAFA said it had been agreed that public phones would be installed in the prisons.

[source_without_link]AFP[/source_without_link]