The health of three prisoners affiliated with the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action is rapidly deteriorating as their coordinated hunger strike continues, with one protester now refusing food for over two months.
Critical Health Declines After Weeks Without Food
Heba Muraisi, 31, is on day 65 of her hunger strike and is reported to be suffering from severe muscle spasms and breathing difficulties. Kamran Ahmed, 28, on day 58, has experienced intermittent hearing loss and has been hospitalised five times, most recently last week. Both are being held in London prisons.
The third participant is 22-year-old Lewie Chiaramello, who has type 1 diabetes. He has been fasting every other day for 44 days as part of the protest action.
Dr James Smith, an emergency physician and lecturer at University College London, stated the trio are now "well into the critical phase", which he defines as beyond three weeks of starvation. He warned that their condition could decline "very quickly and irreversibly."
Strikers' Demands and Government Response
The rolling hunger strike began on 2 November with a set of demands that include:
- Immediate bail for the protesters.
- An end to the ban on Palestine Action.
- The closure of UK sites operated by the Israeli arms company Elbit Systems.
- An end to censorship of the prisoners' communications.
Muraisi, Ahmed, and Chiaramello have all been in jail for over 18 months awaiting trial for activities linked to Palestine Action. This far exceeds the standard pre-trial custody limit of six months.
In response to the situation, the Ministry of Justice has argued that agreeing to meet the prisoners or their representatives would create "perverse incentives" for others to endanger themselves. Prisons Minister James Timpson has said the service has "robust and working" systems for managing hunger strikes.
Historical Context and Personal Resolve
This is believed to be the largest coordinated hunger strike in the UK since the IRA protests in 1981, during which ten people died. Historical data shows the earliest death in 1981 occurred after 46 days, with four others dying between days 59 and 61.
Speaking to the Guardian via an intermediary from Pentonville prison, Kamran Ahmed expressed his determination. "I'm worried but being scared does not mean for one second I am not willing," he said. "I intend to continue my hunger strike; perhaps they wait for me to leave in a body bag."
Ahmed questioned the disparity in concern, asking, "if I potentially pass away, does it only matter because I have a [UK] passport? Are the Palestinians disposable numbers?" He cited his Islamic faith, watching cooking shows, and hearing external protests as things that keep him going.
Five other prisoners have previously paused their hunger strikes, the latest being Teuta Hoxha, who ended her 60-day fast on Saturday.
Dr Smith dismissed suggestions that the strikers' continued survival was questionable, calling such talk "nonsense." He explained that advancements in medical knowledge and supplementation were likely factors, but highlighted that heart problems and infections remain major risks. He noted that hearing and vision issues are particularly concerning as they may indicate neurological deterioration.
