Two Palestinian hunger strikers end protest, one hospitalized

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JERUSALEM (JTA) — Two Palestinian prisoners ended their lengthy hunger strikes, while another still protesting was hospitalized.

Samer Issawi, who has been on a hunger strike for more than 210 days, was taken to an Israeli hospital on Wednesday from the Ofer Prison in the West Bank, near Ramallah.

Issawi was sentenced last week to eight months in prison for violating the terms of his release under the Gilad Shalit prisoner swap in 2011. He was charged with illegally entering the West Bank after having been held under administrative detention without charges.

Since Issawi has served more than six months in prison under administrative detention, under which a prisoner can be held without charges for up to four months, he will be eligible for release on March 6.

Jaafar Izzedine and Tarek Qaadan on Wednesday agreed to halt their hunger strikes after Israel agreed to release them in May. Reuters reported that they were on their hunger strikes from three to six months.

They also had been held in administrative detention, which can be renewed.
 

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