Protest held in Ramallah in support of the prisoners on Monday, October 3, 2011. Picture Credit: Oren Ziv/Activestills

Some 100 people joined a demonstration in Betunya checkpoint opposite Ofer Prison adjacent Ramallah. The protesters called for the release of political prisoners and in solidarity with the hunger striking prisoners. "Freedom can only be complete when the homeland is liberated and prisoners are released," chanted protesters. Soon after the demonstration, clashes erupted between several young activists and the army, which used tear gas and rubber coated bullets to disperse the crowd.  

Additional demonstrations were held in Haifa and in front of Shikma Prison in Ashkelon, where Palestinian prisoners are held in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits any relocation of prisoners from occupied territory to the occupying country (Art. 77).  Large rallies took place earlier this week in Nablus, Ramallah and Gaza.

Hundreds of Palestinians in Israeli jails have joined a hunger strike to protest against worsening prison conditions. The prisoners’ strike was launched on September 27, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toughened restrictions on Palestinian prisoners as part of the effort to pressure Hamas to release the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. The clampdown includes preventing access to books, educational programs and new clothes, expanding solitary confinement, cutting back on family visits and forcing detainees to meet their lawyers with their hands cuffed.

In addition to an open-ended, full time hunger strike, inmates are also refusing to obey certain IPS rules, such as wearing prison uniforms and participating in roll calls.