Palestinians rally to support hunger-striking detainee

JERUSALEM

Palestinians in Israel on Tuesday organized a rally in support of Palestinian detainee Maher al-Akhras who has been on hunger strike for 100 days against his detention by the Israeli authorities.

"We organize this rally to draw attention to the deteriorating health situation of detainee hero Maher al-Akhras who finished his first 100 days in hunger strike," said Mohammad Baraka, the head of the Higher Committee Follow-Up for the Affairs of the Arab Masses in Israel, during the rally.

The participants hold photos of al-Akhras and signs calling for his release.

The committee held several rallies in solidarity with al-Akhras who is protesting his administrative detention.

Al-Akhras was detained on July 27 by the Israeli authorities and has been held under the administrative detention with no trial or charge against him, which pushed him to go on a hunger strike in protest against his detention.

According to figures compiled by a Palestinian rights body, about 4,400 Palestinian political detainees are languishing in Israeli jails -- including 39 women and 155 children -- while 350 of them are under administrative detention.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara.