Israel rejects appeal to release Palestinian hunger striker

Israel’s Supreme Court has rejected an appeal to release Palestinian detainee Khalil Awawdeh, who has been on a hunger strike for several months.

The 40-year-old is protesting his detention without charge, having been jailed without trial under what Israel dubs "administrative detention", Ilan Ben Zion from Associated Press initially reported.

Awawdeh's family stated that he has been on a hunger strike for 170 days, having only water.

“I will continue my hunger strike until I gain my freedom”

Palestinian detainee Khalil Awawdeh has been on hunger strike for the 162nd day despite the deterioration of his health condition in protest against his illegal administrative detention without a charge or trial. pic.twitter.com/1wSz72bZJE

— DAYS OF PALESTINEᅠ (@DaysOfPal) August 20, 2022

A photo of Awawdeh taken by his lawyer on Saturday shows him appearing intensely frail while laying in a hospital bed.

The court on Sunday rejected an appeal by lawyer Ahlam Haddad, who called for Awawdeh’s immediate release due to his failing medical condition.

Awawdeh was arrested by the Israeli army in December 2021, after they claims he was an operative for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group. His lawyer has dismissed these allegations, though even if true, detainment without charge or trial is an offence against international human rights.

Awawdeh is one of many Palestinian prisoners who have gone on prolonged hunger strikes in recent years to protest Israel’s policy of administrative detention.

Israel claims the policy helps keep threatening militants off the streets and allows the government to hold suspects without divulging sensitive intelligence.

Those opposing the practice say it denies prisoners due process and is aimed at quashing opposition to Israel’s 55-year occupation of territories the Palestinians seek for a future state.

Israel is currently holding around 4,400 Palestinian prisoners. Some were arrested for throwing stones, others for protesting at rallies, others for more violence offences.

Around 670 Palestinians are currently being held in administrative detention, a number that rose in March as Israel began near-nightly arrest raids in the occupied West Bank.

Awawdeh’s lawyer last week said her client’s condition was deteriorating and filed the petition to the country’s Supreme Court after an Israeli military court rejected a request for his release.

In light of Awawdeh’s condition, the Israeli military have allowed his family to visit him while hospitalised.

The court said in its ruling on Sunday that after examining the classified security information about Awawdeh, there was “solid and strong justification for the decision of administrative detention” and said it hoped that the suspension of the detention would “motivate him to accept the decision to end the hunger strike”.

Last Friday, Awawdeh rejected Israel's decision to suspend his administrative detention only while he was ill and decided to continue with his hunger strike. This action was to instead demand cancellation of the order, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

Khalil initially went for 111 days before ending his hunger strike on June 21 after the Israeli authorities promised to end his administrative detention.

However, he resumed his fast on July 5 after Israel reneged on its promise and renewed his administrative detention for four more months.

This is the family of the prisoner Khalil Awadeh, his wife and four daughters, the eldest daughter, Tulane, 9, whose family is deprived of him from the month of 12.#الحرية_لخليل_عواودة#فريق_مجاهدون pic.twitter.com/FscPE9p1OF

— مجاهدة اندونيسية🇮🇩 (@rini_s_tala) August 1, 2022