Palestinian factions held an emergency meeting in Gaza, on Monday, to address the escalating Israeli violence and the worsening health of Palestinian hunger strikers in Israeli prisons. 

This is happening as Palestinian prisoner Khalil Awawdeh, 40, from the town of Idna in Al-Khalil, continues his 103rd day of open hunger strike and prisoner Raed Rayan, 27, from the village of Beit Duqu north of Al-Quds, continues his 67th day of protest in rejection of administrative detention.

During the meeting, the factions affirmed “the Palestinian people's right to self-defense," calling for popular action and open confrontation day against the Israeli occupation next Friday.

The factions decided to declare next Friday a day of popular action and open public confrontation with the Israeli occupation.

The Palestinian factions announced that they will continue their meetings to follow up on the conditions of the striking prisoners, stressing that they will "perform their full duties to achieve the prisoners' freedom."

They also called on all parties to expand activities of popular support of hunger-striking prisoners, especially Khalil Awawdeh and Raed Rayan.

After the emergency meeting in Gaza, the Palestinian factions declared that they held the occupation "fully responsible for the lives of the prisoners on hunger strike," expressing their "rejection and condemnation of the law preventing the treatment of prisoners which is expected to be passed in the Knesset of the occupation soon."

Palestinian prisoners Khalil Awawdeh, 40, from the town of Idna in Al-Khalil, and Raed Rayan, 27, from the village of Beit Duqu north of Al-Quds, continue their open hunger strike for the 103rd and 68th consecutive days in protest against their administrative detention.

More than a week ago, the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs warned of a "sudden health setback" that could lead to the death of prisoner Khalil Awawdeh.

Awawdeh, a father of four girls, was arrested on December 27, 2021, and an administrative detention order was issued against him for a six-month period. He had previously been arrested several times since 2002.

As for prisoner Raed Rayan, he was arrested by the Israeli occupation forces on November 3, 2021, and was transferred to administrative detention for a period of six months. As his detention period was about to end, the Israeli occupation renewed his detention for an additional four months, which led Rayan to announce his open hunger strike.

Rayan is suffering from headaches and joint, flank, and knee pain, as well as difficulty in walking. He has not been examined by a doctor and has not undergone any medical examinations since the beginning of his hunger strike.

He is a former administrative prison who spent nearly 21 months in administrative detention before he was released. Seven months later, Rayan was rearrested by the occupation.