Two activists detained on remand over alleged offences linked to the pro-Palestine group Palestine Action have suspended a prolonged hunger strike after their health severely deteriorated, a prisoners' advocacy group has confirmed.
Health Deterioration Forces Suspension of Protest
According to the group Prisoners for Palestine, Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib have decided to start eating again after 48 days of refusing food. The decision was announced in a statement on Tuesday evening, 24 December 2025.
Zuhrah, aged 20, reportedly stopped her strike after experiencing "continuous excruciating pain in her abdomen", while Gib, 30, cited "severe weakness, and brain fog". Both are being held at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey while awaiting trial.
They are part of a group of eight prisoners who began hunger strikes while on remand. Four of the eight activists are still refusing food, with one, Heba Muraisi, now on day 52 of her hunger strike.
Charges and Legal Context of the Detainees
The charges against the eight individuals relate to two separate alleged incidents:
- Four, including Zuhrah, are accused of roles in an alleged break-in at the Israeli-linked Elbit Systems UK site in Filton, Bristol. Zuhrah faces charges of aggravated burglary, violent disorder and criminal damage. This group is not due to go on trial until May 2026 at the earliest.
- The other four, including Gib, are charged with conspiracy to destroy property and conspiracy to enter a prohibited place in relation to an alleged break-in at RAF Brize Norton in June, where it is claimed two military jets were damaged.
These alleged offences took place before Palestine Action was proscribed as a terrorist organisation in July 2025 by then-Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. Lawyers for the prisoners have warned of a "real and increasingly likely potential" their clients could die in custody and have demanded an urgent meeting with ministers.
Wider Fallout from the Group's Proscription
The ban on Palestine Action has had significant repercussions. The group's co-founder, Huda Ammori, is challenging the proscription in the High Court, arguing it was "novel and unprecedented".
Official figures reveal a dramatic spike in arrests under terrorism legislation following the ban. While there were 63 arrests for terror-related activity between April and July 2025, this number soared by 2,608 per cent to 1,706 arrests in the period from July to September after the proscription came into effect.
The case has also drawn high-profile support. Climate activist Greta Thunberg was arrested on Tuesday at a protest in central London backing the hunger strikers. She was photographed holding a sign reading: "I support the Palestine Action protesters. I oppose genocide".
The hunger strikers have issued a series of demands, which include a call for the government to de-proscribe Palestine Action. Qesser Zuhrah has vowed to resume her hunger strike in the New Year if the government does not respond to the protesters' demands.
