RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — An advocacy group says a Palestinian detainee has entered uncharted medical territory with a hunger strike of 89 days — longer than fasts by other Palestinians or by Irish prisoners in 1981.
Amani Dayif of Physicians for Human Rights-Israel said Monday that Mohammed al-Qeq's condition is rapidly deteriorating. She says no one else "has survived this much" time.
The case of al-Qeq, an activist in the Islamic militant group Hamas, highlights Israel's divisive practice of holding Palestinians without charge or trial, usually people suspected of militant activities.
Al-Qeq launched his hunger strike Nov. 25 to win release from such detention.
His fate has been discussed in recent top-level meetings, including on Sunday by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.