Thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails said they would join a hunger strike on April 17 in solidarity with 430 Fatah inmates led by senior figure Marawan Barghouti. The prisoners from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine will launch their strike on the Palestinian Prisoner's Day. Most of prisoners who backed the calls are detained in Gilboa and Hadarim detention camps. The strike coincides with mass protests in the West Bank and Gaza Strip against the inhumane treatments the Palestinian inmates receive in Israeli jails. Barghouti, who is currently serving a life-imprisonment sentence allegedly for carrying out a series of murders during the Second Intifada in 2000, called for the open-ended strike. The Palestinian Committee of Prisoners' Affairs said members of Hamas Movement would also join the strike. In a statement, the committee said, "Thousands of inmates regardless of their political affiliation had vowed to join the mass hunger strike". Barghouti issued a statement from prison in which he called all inmates to abide by their unity and avoid individual negotiations with the Israeli Prison Service (IPS). The statement also warned against IPS' expected lies and rumors to weaken the prisoners' will and determination. Palestinian inmates face deteriorating human rights including family visit cuts and improper medical car as well as intentional negligence. Fatah Movement called all activists worldwide to join the protests to preserve the Palestinian rights. According to Palestinian statistics, 6,500 Palestinians were held in Israeli prisons as of January this year, including 53 women and 300 children. Also, the statistics revealed 700 inmates are currently incarcerated under controversial Administrative Detention Law that gives Israeli rights to detain Palestinians without charges. Some of the inmates have remained in Israeli prisons for more than 10 years. The last hunger strike for Palestinian prisoners in Israel was launched in 2012.
