Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Seán Crowe TD, has welcome an agreement struck between hundreds of Palestinian hunger strikers in Israeli jails and the Israeli authorities to end the hunger strike which lasted 40 days.

Deputy Crowe said:

“I want to welcome this important agreement that has ended this hunger strike without any further loss of life. The agreement comes at the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

“According to reports the agreement reached will improve the conditions faced by Palestinians in Israeli jails and allow their families more visits.

“I would like to think that further movement can also be made around access to vital medical treatment for seriously ill prisoners following the ending of this protest.

“There are currently over 6,500 Palestinians political prisoners imprisoned in Israel and 500 of them are interned without trial under the so-called administration detention process. This policy of mass punishment also needs to come to an end.

“The hunger strike has drawn international attention to the inhumane and degrading treatment that many Palestinian prisoners in Israel experience on a daily basis.

“Israel needs to stop its mass detention of Palestinians, and abide by international and human rights law. Its inhumane treatment of prisoners and its vindictive prisons policy only increases tensions. It certainly will not break or weaken the Palestinian demand for freedom and self-determination.”

ENDS