Three Palestine Action activists end hunger strikes after 73 days

Three Palestine Action activists have ended their hunger strike in prison after 73 days, claiming the government has met one of their key demands.

Kamran Ahmed, Heba Muraisi and Lewie Chiaramello began “re-feeding” on Wednesday, campaign group Prisoners for Palestine said. The group have said the government denied Israeli-based defence firm Elbit Systems a £2bn contract, which they said was “a key demand of the hunger strikers”.

The hunger strike participants are in prison awaiting trial for alleged break-ins or criminal damage on behalf of Palestine Action before the group was banned under terrorism legislation – charges which they deny and have called to be dropped.

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Prisoners for Palestine said that national leaders of prison healthcare met representatives of the hunger strike prisoners on Friday to discuss prison conditions and treatment recommendations.

The last remaining hunger striker is Umer Khalid, according to Prisoners for Palestine’s website.

Prisoners for Palestine said in a statement: “While these prisoners end their hunger strike, the resistance has just begun.

“Banning a group and imprisoning our comrades has backfired on the British state, direct action is alive and the people will drive Elbit out of Britain for good”.

Mr Chiaramello said it was a “time for celebration” as their demands had been met.

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“It is definitely a time for celebration. A time to rejoice and to embrace our joy as revolution and as liberation,” they said. “We do this because of Palestine, because we’ve been inspired, because we’ve been empowered to take action and to try to realise our dreams for a free Palestine, for an emancipated world.”

They said that alongside the three who ended their strike on Wednesday, Teuta Hoxha, Jon Cink, Qesser Zuhrah, and Amu Gib “have now all begun re-feeding in accordance with health guidelines”.

Since the hunger strike began on 2 November, several prisoners have been taken to hospital.

The Press Association has approached the Ministry of Justice for comment.