The final remaining Palestine Action prisoner engaged in a hunger strike has escalated his protest by ceasing all fluid intake, with medical professionals warning this drastic action could prove fatal within a matter of days.
Critical Health Condition Intensifies Risk
Umer Khalid, a 22-year-old activist, has now stopped drinking water in addition to his ongoing refusal of food. This development significantly heightens the immediate danger to his life. Khalid suffers from a genetic condition known as limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, a disorder that causes progressive weakness and wasting of the muscles surrounding the shoulders and hips. This underlying health issue renders him particularly vulnerable to the severe effects of starvation and dehydration.
Medical Warning of Imminent Danger
In a stark assessment provided through the advocacy group Prisoners for Palestine, Dr Rupa Marya issued a grave prognosis. "With no fluid intake, typically people die of acute kidney failure and other derangements within three to four days," Dr Marya stated. "With Khalid's underlying health condition, he is at increased risk of death even sooner."
Dr Marya, who is currently suspended from the University of California, San Francisco, over online comments regarding Israel's military actions in Gaza, further criticised the UK government's stance. She alleged a profound hypocrisy within the legal system, contrasting government actions with Khalid's plight.
Background of the Protest and Legal Charges
Khalid initiated his hunger strike in November, alongside seven other individuals associated with Palestine Action. Their collective action represents a protest against criminal charges they face, which are related to alleged break-ins or acts of criminal damage purportedly carried out on behalf of the activist organisation. All defendants have formally denied the allegations and have publicly called for the charges to be dropped entirely.
Khalid's strike was briefly paused during the Christmas period due to a deterioration in his health, but he recommenced the action thirteen days ago, now incorporating the refusal of water.
Other Protesters End Their Strikes
All other participants have now concluded their hunger strikes. The final three individuals beyond Khalid ended their protests ten days ago. This decision followed a significant development: the UK government's choice not to award a substantial £2 billion contract to Elbit Systems UK, a subsidiary of an Israeli arms manufacturer. The contract would have involved training approximately 60,000 British troops annually.
Prisoners for Palestine has identified this contract decision as fulfilling a key demand of their campaign. The group noted that Elbit Systems UK had secured more than ten public contracts since 2012, suggesting the Ministry of Defence's recent move indicates a potential shift in official procurement policy.
Historical Context and Campaign Demands
Among those who ended their hunger strikes earlier this month was Heba Muraisi, 31, who persisted for 72 days. This duration came remarkably close to the 73-day fast undertaken by Irish republican hunger striker Kieran Doherty in 1981, who was one of ten men who ultimately died during that historic protest.
The ongoing situation places intense focus on the UK's legal and political response to the activists' campaign. Dr Marya's comments underscore the escalating tension, as she warned that by the coming Monday, without government intervention, "we can expect this young man to be well in the process of dying if not dead."
The case continues to draw attention to the methods of protest employed by activist groups, the serious health risks undertaken by participants, and the complex interplay between political advocacy, legal prosecution, and human welfare within the United Kingdom.
