Toward freedom: Palestinian prisoner Raed Rayan suspends hunger strike

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Palestinian Prisoners Information Office stated that Raed Rayan, jailed without charge or trial under Israeli “administrative detention”, has suspended his hunger strike which lasted for 113 days after reaching an agreement with the Israeli occupation for the date of hid release. 

Raed Rayan, 27, from the village of Beit Duqu north of Al-Quds 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 seen by a doctor and has not undergone any medical examinations since the beginning of his hunger strike.

Rayan is a former administrative prisoner. He spent nearly 21 months in administrative detention before he was released. Seven months later, he was rearrested.

Palestinian Resistance factions congratulate Rayan

Simultaneously, Palestinian factions rushed to congratulate Rayan on his victory in his battle. 

"With his will and determination to continue and confront the crime of administrative detention," said Hamas, "the prisoner, Raed Rayan, is recording a new victory."

In a similar vein, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine declared Rayan's "victory with his empty stomach over the Israeli jailer, who acquiesced to his just demands," adding that "the victory of Rayan is a victory for the Palestinian captive movement and for all our Palestinian people."

Other factions warned against the occupation's manipulation of the agreement to end his administrative detention.

Resistance Committees in Palestine affirmed resilient support for Palestinian prisoners, particularly hunger strikers who are led by prisoner Khalil Awawdeh.

Palestinian prisoner Khalil Awawdeh, 40, from the town of Idna in Al-Khalil, continues his suspended open hunger strike reaching 26 days now in refusal of his administrative detention. This came days after a previous 111-day strike was suspended, as the Israeli occupation revoked its decision to end prisoner Khalil Awawdeh’s arbitrary arrest.

The Israeli occupation issued an order to renew Awawdeh’s administrative detention for a period of 4 months, starting from 06/26/2022 until 10/25/2022, despite his highly critical health condition, according to Muhjat Al-Quds.

It is worth noting that Awawdeh is suffering from severe joint pain, headaches, vertigo, and blurred vision. He is also unable to move and is wheelchair-bound, knowing that he was transferred to the hospital a few times in one month only.

The Israeli occupation authorities arrested Awawdeh on December 27, 2021, and an administrative detention order was issued against him for a period of six months. He has previously been arrested several times since 2002, and this is the fifth arrest, including three administrative detentions.

It is worth noting that the Secretary-General of the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine, Ziad Al-Nakhala, has lately considered that the Israeli occupation's singling out of Palestinian prisoners, carrying out isolation and repression practices against them, as well as ignoring the hunger strike of prisoners Khalil Awawdeh and Raed Rayan calls for the resistance and the Palestinian people to fulfill their duties and responsibilities to protect these prisoners.

In a statement, Al-Nakhala reminded the Israeli occupation that the possible martyrdom of one of the hunger-striking prisoners will be considered a premeditated murder, which requires from the Resistance to fulfill its previous obligations.

Read more: Hunger Strikes: Palestinian Prisoners’ Last Resort