In the evening hours of Monday 17 September 2012, Israeli authorities referred detainee SamerHelmi Al Barq, who is on hunger strike for 119 consecutive days, to the intensive care unit at AssafHarofeh Hospital after suffering from severe decline in diabetes and sudden deterioration in his health condition.
According to the information available to Al Mezan and according to sources in AssafHarofeh hospital, Al Barqhad stopped drinking water or taking intravenous fluid.
His critical health condition was stable but it suddenly deteriorated.
Ar-Ramleh Hospital referred him to AssafHarrofeh hospital.
Al Barq started open hunger strike on 24 May 2012 when Israeli Prison Service (IPS) backtracked on agreement ending prisoners’ hunger strike that had been reached through Egyptian meditation on 14 May 2012 to end a mass hunger strike.
 On 21 May 2012, the occupation authorities renewed his administrative detention for a period of three months.
He is intent on his demand for immediate release because he is detained without any charge or trial.
  The prisoner HasanZahiAs‘ad As-Safadi, 34, is also continuing his hunger strike for the 90 consecutive day.
After the prisoners’ agreement the occupation authorities renewed his administrative detention for the third time, on 21 June 2012, for a period of six months.
He announced the resumption of his hunger strike on the same day, in protest against the occupation’s violation of the agreement which it signed with the prisoners’ committee on 14 May 2012, in accordance with which the administrative detainees who had embarked on the hunger strike were to be released.
He is in AssafHarofeh hospital due to deterioration of his health condition.
Prisoner Aymn Ismail Ash-Sharawna, 36, is continuing his hunger strike for the 79th consecutive day.
He was arrested on 28 June 2012 after he was being released in prisoners swap last year.
On 2 July 2012, he started his hunger strike in protest against his re-arrest and the poor condition of his arrest in Israeli prisons.
Prisoner SamerTareq Al A’isawi, 33, is continuing his hunger strike for 74th consecutive day.
  On 7 July 2012, the occupation authorities re-arrested him after he was being released in prisoners swap last year.
He has served 10 years of his 30 year imprisonment.
On 2 August 2012, he started his hunger strike in protest against his re-arrest, solidarity confinement, and prevention of family and lawyer visits.
   In the same context, Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons announced their intention to go on hunger strike for one day on Tuesday 18 September 2012 to express their solidarity with Samer Al Barq, Hasan As-Safadi, Ayman Ash-Sharawna, and Samer Al A’isawi.
According to the information available to Al Mezan, the suffering of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons continues, despite the most recent announcement, on 14 May 2012, that an agreement had been reached through Egyptian mediation under which the strike undertaken by prisoners from 17 April 2012 was ended.
 The prisoners’ demands were an end to the policy of solitary confinement, annulment of what was known as the “Shalit Law,” return of prison conditions to those prevailing before the Al Aqsa Intifada, legal reform of the policy of administrative detention, and provision of appropriate medical care to sick prisoners.
  But the Israel Prison Service is attempting to sidestep this agreement, and has yet to commit to its official implementation.
The Al Mezan Center for Human Rights expresses its concern for the detainees’ health and lives and its solidarity with Palestinian and Arab detainees in Israeli prisons, and holds the Israeli authorities responsible for their well-being.
  Al Mezan strongly condemns Israel’s gross abuses of Palestinian detainees, starting with the Unlawful Combatant Law, the policy of administrative detention, and other procedures that violate detainees’ rights, including solitary confinement, medical negligence, barring of family visitation, and other practices.
  Al Mezan demands that the international community - especially the signatory parties to the Geneva Conventions - put pressure on the occupation state and force it to respect its obligations under international law, and to treat detainees humanely in keeping with the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners issued in 1955, and other relevant international standards.
  There must also be steps taken towards guarantee of the release of all Palestinian prisoners, especially those thrown in prison without charge or fair trial, including appeal to all means of defense.
Al Mezan likewise calls on civil society groups, national and international human rights organizations to express their solidarity with Palestinian detainees, to expose Israel’s violations of international humanitarian law, and to oblige Israel to uphold its legal responsibilities.
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