2 Palestinians held by Israel end 90-day hunger strike

By Anees Barghouti

RAMALLAH, Palestine

Two Palestinian prisoners held by Israel ended a 90-day hunger strike Thursday after agreement was reached with Israeli authorities for their release from custody, a senior Palestinian official told Anadolu Agency.

"Ahmad Abu Fara, 29, and Anas Shadid, 19, ended their hunger strikes after an agreement was reached to release them from custody on May 12 of next year," Issa Qraqe, head of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s detainees committee, said.

According to Qraqe, the pair decided to end their hunger strike after Israeli authorities agreed to release them from "administrative detention" after four months.

"Abu Fara and Shadid will serve out four more months in prison after which they will be allowed to return to their homes in the [Israeli-occupied] West Bank," he said.

On Sept. 25, the two men declared a hunger strike in hopes of putting pressure on the Israeli authorities for their release.

Under Israel's policy of "administrative detention", prisoners can be held for up to one year without charge or trial.

Of the 7,000 Palestinians currently imprisoned in Israel, roughly 700 are held in administrative detention, according to Palestinian figures.