On Tuesday 3 November 2009, Palestinian detainees in Nafha Prison announced a complete hunger strike during which they will refrain from the consumption of all food.
This strike is a protest against the frequent arbitrary raids and searches of prison cells which occur at night and the prohibition on the entry of cash into the canteen which prevents detainees from purchasing basic essential items not provided by the prison administration.
Nafha Prison is 100 km away from Beer As-Sabea (Beershiva) City and 200km from Jerusalem.
It has been open since 1980 and consists of an old and a new building.
It is considered the harshest prison in Israel.
It used to have capacity for 120 detainees but after several years new departments and buildings were erected.
Now it has capacity for 700 detainees.
Palestinian detainees suffer cruel and inhuman conditions as a result of Israeli human rights and international humanitarian law (IHL) violations.
Palestinian detainees are deprived of their right to visitation; since July 2007, families in Gaza have not been able to visit their relatives in Israeli prisons.
      Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights condemns the systematic inhumane treatment of Palestinian detainees carried-out by Israel.
These violations against constitute part of serious and ongoing violations perpetrated against the Palestinian people by Israel.
Al Mezan holds the prison administration responsible for the lives of detainees.
    Al Mezan Centre stresses the need to take effective and urgent action for the more than 8,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, of whom a significant number have been detained without trial.
Al Mezan calls on the international community to intervene and to offer international protection for Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory, including those detained in Israeli prisons.
Al Mezan Centre emphasizes the need for the international community to exert pressure on Israel to respect IHL and human rights standards, and especially the right of detainees to periodic prison visits, and to abide by the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners adopted in 1955 as well as other relevant international standards.
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