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Palestinian Hunger Striker Held by Israel Could Die at Any Moment, Lawyer Says

Palestinian administrative prisoner Khalil Awawdeh, who has been on a hunger strike for more than 160 days, is seen at Assaf Harofeh hospital in Be'er Ya'akov, Israel August 24, 2022. REUTERS/Sinan Abu Mayzer NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES
Palestinian administrative prisoner Khalil Awawdeh, who has been on a hunger strike for more than 160 days, is seen at Assaf Harofeh hospital in Be'er Ya'akov, Israel August 24, 2022. REUTERS/Sinan Abu Mayzer NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES
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Palestinian Hunger Striker Held by Israel Could Die at Any Moment, Lawyer Says

Palestinian administrative prisoner Khalil Awawdeh, who has been on a hunger strike for more than 160 days, is seen at Assaf Harofeh hospital in Be'er Ya'akov, Israel August 24, 2022. REUTERS/Sinan Abu Mayzer NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES
Palestinian administrative prisoner Khalil Awawdeh, who has been on a hunger strike for more than 160 days, is seen at Assaf Harofeh hospital in Be'er Ya'akov, Israel August 24, 2022. REUTERS/Sinan Abu Mayzer NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES

A Palestinian prisoner who has been on hunger strike for over 160 days in protest over his detention by Israel could die at any moment, his lawyer said on Wednesday.

Israeli forces arrested Khalil Awawdeh, 40, in December 2021 and have since held him without charge or trial, a practice known as administrative detention.

Israel has provided few details about the accusations facing Awawdeh. An Israeli military spokesperson said on Wednesday his detention had been confirmed several times by military courts "and it was determined that the confidential material in his case indicates that his release will threaten the security of the area."

In March, Awawdeh launched a hunger strike demanding his freedom. He has subsisted only on water since, said his lawyer, Ahlam Haddad, Reuters reported.

Egyptian mediators recently pushed for Awawdeh's release under a ceasefire agreement to end three days of fighting in Gaza between Israel and the militant Islamic Jihad group.

An Egyptian security source speaking on condition of anonymity said on Wednesday that Egypt presented a list of prisoners, including Awawdeh, to Israeli officials and Israel promised to look into it, while expressing reservations on some of the names.

With Israeli forces conducting near-daily operations against suspected militants in the West Bank, Awawdeh's death could further inflame a crisis that has escalated for months.

"I feel that my body is consuming itself internally," Awawdeh told Reuters from his hospital bed, his eyes widening and his voice fluctuating as he spoke. "God's support, steadfastness and patience are what enable me to continue."

Awawdeh was recently transferred from Ramle Prison to the Asaf Harofeh hospital in Israel due to his failing health.

Last Friday, the Israeli military temporarily suspended the administrative detention order against Awawdeh because his condition was deteriorating. However, he is not allowed to leave the hospital, a military spokesperson said.

Awawdeh has managed to survive this long without food likely because of a two-week break a couple of months ago, during which he received vitamin supplements, said Naji Abbas, the case manager for prisoners at Physicians for Human Rights - Israel.

At the time, Awawdeh, who now weighs 40 kilograms after having lost about 45 kilograms, agreed to end his hunger strike, thinking he was about to be released, said Abbas.

Awawdeh's family, which lives near the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, has so far been refused permission to visit him by Israel but have supported his decision to continue his hunger strike.

"He was detained with no charge or trial," his wife, Dalal Awawdeh, said. "Just as he was detained forcefully and taken from us, he will demand his freedom whether the occupation approves or not."

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Arab World

Houthi Charges of Espionage: A Tool to Intimidate, Control the Population

Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
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Houthi Charges of Espionage: A Tool to Intimidate, Control the Population

Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)

The Houthi militia has recently released several individuals it had abducted for celebrating Yemen’s September Revolution. However, over the past few days, it has detained hundreds of residents in its stronghold of Saada, accusing them of espionage.

The campaign coincides with the airing of alleged confessions from a purported spy cell and the abduction of a former employee of the US Embassy in Yemen.

Local sources in Saada province, approximately 242 kilometers north of Sanaa, report that the Houthis have launched a widespread campaign of arrests targeting civilians. These individuals have been taken from their homes, workplaces, and businesses under allegations of collaborating with Western nations and Israel. Families of those detained have been warned to remain silent and refrain from discussing the arrests with the media or on social media platforms.

According to the sources, more than 300 individuals, including dozens of women, have been abducted across various districts in Saada. The arrests have also targeted relatives and associates of Othman Mujalli, a member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, who hails from the region.

The sources suggest that the Houthis are detaining women as hostages to pressure their relatives, who may either be out of the militia’s reach or living outside Houthi-controlled areas. They also appear to be using the women to coerce confessions from male relatives. Last month, the Houthis accused Hamid Mujalli, Othman Mujalli’s brother, of engaging in espionage for Arab and Western nations for nearly two decades.

In a separate incident, the Houthis abducted a former employee of the US Embassy in Sanaa from his home on Monday without providing any explanation for their actions.

Release of Detainees

The Houthis recently released Sheikh Amin Rajeh, a tribal leader from Ibb province, after detaining him for four months. Several other individuals were also freed, none of whom had been formally charged during their detention. Rajeh, a member of the General People’s Congress Party, was one of many political activists, students, workers, and public employees abducted in September for celebrating Yemen’s September 26, 1962, revolution.

One of the released individuals, a shop owner, told Asharq Al-Awsat that he was unaware of the reason for his detention. He had been abducted in November, two months after the Houthis initiated a crackdown on those commemorating the revolution.

Alleged Spy Cell

Houthi-controlled media recently broadcast confessions from what they claimed was a newly uncovered spy cell. The group linked the cell to its broader narrative of “promised conquest and sacred jihad” against the West and Israel.

According to Houthi security officials, the alleged spy cell was working to compile a “target database,” monitor sites linked to missile forces and drones, and track specific military and security locations. They also claimed the cell had been observing the residences and movements of Houthi leaders.

In response, the Houthis issued warnings to residents, forbidding them from discussing or sharing information about militia-controlled sites, facilities, or the whereabouts of their leaders.

The Houthis’ actions reflect mounting concerns over potential strikes targeting their senior leadership, similar to the recent attacks on Hezbollah figures in Lebanon. Those fears come amid ongoing tensions with Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom, following the Houthis’ assaults on international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and missile attacks on Israel.