A Palestinian woman holds a picture of prisoners jailed in Israel during a rally in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails
JERUSALEM — Israeli prison officials say that hundreds of Palestinian prisoners who declared a hunger strike two weeks ago are continuing to refuse food as they demand better conditions.
Sivan Weizman of Israel’s prison authority said Monday that 1,450 remain on a hunger strike. Two prisoners have refused to eat for 63 days.
Ehteram Ghazawneh of the Palestinian group Addameer says prisoners want to end an Israeli policy that incarcerates some of them for months, even years, without charges. Ghazawneh says prisoners also want to end solitary confinement and allow Gazan prisoners to have family visits.
She estimates that 2,500 prisoners, more than half of those held by Israel, are participating.
The strikers appear to be inspired by a Palestinian who refused food for 66 days before he was freed.
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