Middle East Monitor / July 5, 2022
Palestinian detainee, Khalil Awawdeh, resumed his open-ended hunger strike on Saturday, after the Israeli occupation authority cancelled its agreement to release him last week.
According to Hasan Abed Rabbo, spokesman for the Palestinian Prisoners Affairs Commission, Khalil’s administrative detention was renewed by another four months, despite reaching a verbal deal with Israeli authorities for his release, which prompted him to suspend his 111 days of hunger strike.
Khalil, a father of four, was detained on 27 December 2021, and placed in administrative detention – a policy that allows Israeli authorities to detain Palestinians for a renewable period of six months without charge or trial.
Abed Rabbo raised concerns regarding Khalil’s deteriorating health, particularly after he was transferred to Ramleh Prison in central Israel, due to difficulty in speaking and communicating, in addition to the severe pain he was suffering throughout his body, especially in his lower limbs and muscles.
Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS) attorney, Jawad Boulos, reported that, in addition to poor vision, Khalil was also vomiting blood and having difficulty breathing.
He was previously transferred to hospital but then returned to Ramleh Prison clinic, despite his health condition.
“Khalil’s health is in a very bad condition, and his life is at risk,” Ameen Shouman, head of PPS, told the New Arab.
“Israeli authorities gave a verbal promise to release Khalil Awawdeh without indicating the date,” Shouman added. “This has been a very hard battle for Khalil, and his life is still at risk.”
According to the PPS, there are around 4,700 Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails, including around 600 held without charge or trial.
