Palestinian hunger striker’s health deteriorating — official

RAMALLAH — The health of a Palestinian on hunger strike for a month in protest at his detention without trial by Israel is deteriorating, a Palestinian official and family members warned Thursday.

Bilal Kayed began his hunger strike last month in protest at his internment under Israel's administrative detention law, which allows the country to hold prisoners without trial for renewable six-month periods.

He had served a 14-and-a-half-year sentence for activities in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, labelled a terrorist organisation by Israel, the European Union and the United States, and was due to be released on June 15.

However, Israeli authorities then placed him under administrative detention, prompting him to begin the hunger strike.

Issa Qaraqe, head of the Palestinian Authority's commission for detainee affairs, said Kayed had been transferred to hospital twice in the past 24 hours due to failing kidneys.

The 35-year-old from near Nablus in the occupied West Bank has lost about 30 kilogrammes  and is "refusing medical inspections and won't take anything but water", Qaraqe added.

Kayed's brother Mohammed said the Israeli authorities were responsible for his health.

A spokesman for the Israel prisons service confirmed his hunger strike without giving further details, while Israel's Shin Bet domestic security agency refused to discuss the reason for his detention.

Administrative detention is intended to allow authorities to hold suspects while continuing to gather evidence, with the aim of preventing further attacks in the meantime.

The system has been criticised by Palestinians, human rights groups and members of the international community.

Of more than 7,500 Palestinians currently in Israeli jails, around 700 are being held under administrative detention, Palestinian rights groups say.

Palestinians have regularly gone on hunger strike to protest their detentions.