Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Seán Crowe TD, has stated his deep concern for the health and well-being of the over 1,600 Palestinians on hunger strike in Israeli jails after one young man died  on hunger strike.

Speaking after he raised the hunger strike and the death in the Dáil, Deputy Crowe said:

“I was deeply saddened to hear reports that Mazan al-Maghrebi from Ramallah has died on hunger strike.

“According to the Palestinian press Mazan passed away due to a kidney disease that he got after joining the hunger strike protest. I want to send my condolences to his family, the Palestinian people and his wider circle of friends.

“Recent media reports also state that several of the hunger-striking inmates had lost up to 10 kilograms of their weight and a number of the hunger strikers in the Ofer prison in Israel are suffering from low blood pressure, severe headaches as well as stomach and joint problems.

“I am calling on the Israeli authorities to urgently agree to the reasonable and humane reforms that the hunger strikers are demanding.

“Israel must also stop its mass detention of Palestinians, and abide by international and human rights law. Its inhumane treatment of prisoners and its vindictive prisons policy will not, and clearly has not, broken the Palestinian demand for freedom and self-determination.

“The Irish Government must not become a passive spectator to this hunger strike and Israel’s continued violations of basic human rights and international law. Sinn Féin has written to the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charlie Flanagan, calling on him to urgently put pressure on the Israeli Government to end its punitive ill-treatment of Palestinian prisoners.”

ENDS