Former Hunger Striker Al-Qadi Released, Transferred to Palestinian Hospital

Local Editor

"Israeli" regime authorities released former hunger-striking prisoner Malik al-Qadi to Palestinian medics on Saturday to transfer him to a hospital in the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said on Saturday morning that its staff was transferring al-Qadi from the "Israeli" Wolfson Medical Center to the Istishari Arab Hospital in the city of Ramallah.

Al-Qadi is in a dire health condition after going without food for 68 days to protest being held in administrative detention -- internment without trial or charges -- by the "Israeli" entity.

Al-Qadi ended his hunger strike on Wednesday, along with fellow prisoners Muhammad and Mahmoud al-Balboul, after an agreement with the "Israeli" prisons services not to renew their so-called "administrative detentions".

Muhammad Balboul, 26, had refused food for 77 days since July 7, while his 23-year-old brother Mahmoud had been on hunger strike 79 days since July 5, and al-Qadi, 25, declared his hunger strike on July 16.

Qaraqe said in a statement on Wednesday that Muhammad and Mahmoud al-Balboul were set to be released on Dec. 8, while Malik al-Qadi would be released on Sep. 22, and that all three of their "administrative detentions" would not be renewed.

The three had initially launched their hunger strikes amid a mass movement across "Israeli" prisons in solidarity with hunger-striking prisoner Bilal Kayid, who after 71 days suspended his hunger strike after striking a deal with the "Israeli" entity to end his administrative detention sentence. He was reportedly set to be released on Dec. 12.

Kayid was one of the most high-profile hunger strikers since Palestinian journalist Muhammad al-Qiq came near death during a 94-day hunger strike protesting his administrative detention order, before he was finally released in May.

Rights groups claimed that the entity's so-called "administrative detention" policy, which allows detention for three- to six-month renewable intervals based on undisclosed evidence, had been used as an attempt to disrupt Palestinian political processes, notably targeting Palestinian politicians, activists, students, and journalists.

Although "Israeli" regime authorities claim the withholding of evidence during administrative detention is essential for state security concerns, rights groups had instead claimed the policy allows "Israeli" authorities to hold Palestinians for an indefinite period of time without showing any evidence that could justify their detentions.

According to Addameer, as of August, 7,000 Palestinians were being held in "Israeli" prisons, 700 of whom were being held under so-called "administrative detention".

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team