Six individuals detained in British prisons have entered a perilous new phase of their hunger strike, now in its 47th day, in a dramatic protest focused on Palestine and their own legal limbo. The group, which includes Qesser Zuhrah, Amu Gib, Heba Muraisi, Teuta Hoxha, Kamran Ahmed, and Lewie Chiaramello, is refusing food in what has become the longest such protest in the UK since the 1981 IRA hunger strikes.
A Protest of Last Resort
In newly released audio from the campaign group Prisoners for Palestine, the strikers articulate a desperate resolve. Qesser Zuhrah describes the moment they began as an instant victory. "I remember counting down the days... not that I wasn't scared, but my fear would not paralyse me, and my need to breathe overrode it," she states. The prisoners frame their action not as a desire for death, but as a final means of reclaiming agency. Amu Gib poses a stark question: "How can we sit in prison, waiting until the noose tightens around our neck for opposing genocide?"
Heba Muraisi forcefully rejects any notion of a death wish. "I want to make it abundantly clear that this is not about dying," she says. "I love life, and my love for life, for people, is the reason why I've been incarcerated." The individuals are part of groups known as the Filton 24 and Brize Norton 4, awaiting trial for direct action protests targeting the Israeli defence contractor Elbit Systems.
Legal Limbo and Failing Health
The protesters face severe delays in the justice system, with some, like Amu Gib, not expected to stand trial until 2027. Teuta Hoxha characterises their treatment as a "witch hunt, not a fair fight," citing the use of counter-terrorism powers to detain them for years without conviction. As the hunger strike extends, their physical condition is deteriorating rapidly. Reports indicate that on 16 December, Qesser Zuhrah required urgent medical attention at HMP Bronzefield, suffering from chest pains and breathlessness.
Their legal representatives, Imran Khan and Partners, have issued a stark warning to Foreign Secretary David Lammy, stating that "young British citizens will die in prison, having never even been convicted of an offence." The prisoners' core demands are threefold: immediate bail, the guarantee of a fair trial, and the closure of Elbit Systems' UK operations.
A Direct Appeal to Government
The protest has drawn significant public attention, with musical acts like The Pogues and Kneecap adding their voices to calls for government intervention. However, the Ministry of Justice has deemed the protest "unacceptable" and maintains that prisoner health is being managed in line with established policy. Advocates warn the situation has reached a "point of no return."
In a final, direct message to the Labour administration, Teuta Hoxha delivers a powerful ultimatum. "Our collective strike should only be interpreted as a will to live, using nothing but hunger to resist the imperial war machine. We are prepared to push to the very end... Any harm we sustain lies at the door of the government. Please act." As the strike surpasses day 47, the window for that action is closing with each passing hour.
