Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have been engaged in a fierce conflict with the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) since tension began mounting Aug. 3 when prisoners started refusing their meals, Qadura Fares, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, said Aug. 9.

This most recent hunger strike came in protest of a campaign against the prisoners launched by Metzada, which is affiliated with IPS. Metzada is transferring some prisoners and isolating others, while raiding and inspecting their cells. Metzada also began searching for smuggled mobile phones and succeeded in confiscating dozens of phones and SIM cards.

While speaking to Al-Monitor, Hamas spokesman Abdul Rahman Shadid held Israeli authorities responsible for the lives of Palestinian prisoners and accused “Israeli intelligence official Ilan Borda of being responsible for what is happening to prisoners, as he is waging a fierce war against them and is leading the inspection and prisoner-transferring campaigns, thus depriving Palestinian prisoners of their human rights."

"This calls for the resistance factions — with all their military wings — to take necessary and crucial stances to support the prisoners in their battle with Israeli prisons,” Shadid said.