Umer Khalid, a 22-year-old prisoner affiliated with Palestine Action, has ended his hunger strike after being hospitalised with organ failure. The protest concluded just two days after Khalid escalated his action by refusing water, a move that had raised serious concerns for his life.
Protest Escalation Leads to Intensive Care
Khalid, who is being held at Wormwood Scrubs prison in west London, began refusing water on Friday as part of his ongoing protest against the charges he faces and his treatment in jail. This escalation to a thirst strike prompted fears that he could die within days if the situation continued.
At a Prisoners for Palestine press conference on Tuesday, British-Palestinian film-maker and educator Saeed Taji Farouky announced that Khalid had ended his protest on Sunday after being taken to intensive care. Farouky stated that Khalid is now undergoing the slow and dangerous process of refeeding and has begun drinking again.
Demands Reportedly Met Following Action
According to Prisoners for Palestine, Khalid's protest proved successful with most of his demands being accepted by prison authorities. The organisation claims that Khalid has been granted a meeting with the prison governor and has received previously withheld post and clothing.
Restrictions on his prison visits, which had been in place since he was imprisoned awaiting trial in July 2025, have also been lifted according to the group's statement.
Allegations of Mistreatment in Custody
Farouky made serious allegations about Khalid's treatment during his imprisonment, claiming the prisoner had been grossly mistreated. These allegations include having communications withheld, being prevented from expressing his religion, and not receiving necessary medical care.
In a statement released after his return to prison from hospital, Khalid said: "I am too strong, too loud, too powerful – and we as a collective are the same. I ask Allah to take my life when He is pleased with me, and not before. What has become clear is that there is no concern for our lives inside these cells. Until then, we keep resisting."
Health Condition Complicates Protest
Khalid suffers from limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, a genetic condition that causes weakness and wasting in muscles around joints in the body. This pre-existing health condition made his hunger and thirst strike particularly dangerous.
He initially began refusing food in November last year as part of a coordinated action by eight Palestine Action-affiliated prisoners. After pausing for 12 days due to ill health, he restarted his protest on 10 January before escalating to refusing water from 23 January.
Political Response and Calls for Inquiry
Labour MP John McDonnell, who has previously spoken about the prisoners in parliament, addressed Tuesday's press conference. He called for Justice Secretary David Lammy to launch a full inquiry into how these prisoners are being treated.
McDonnell stated: "I do believe most people will find it unacceptable that they're on remand for so long and the way that they've been treated within prison itself. And that includes, I have to say, access to health facilities when some of them have been, I believe, in a dangerous plight."
Background of the Prisoners' Cases
The eight prisoners involved in the coordinated protest action are all charged with offences relating to alleged break-ins or criminal damage carried out on behalf of Palestine Action. Remarkably, they will all have spent over a year in jail before going to trial.
The final three prisoners apart from Khalid ended their protest on 14 January following the government's decision not to award a £2 billion contract to the UK subsidiary of Israeli arms company Elbit Systems.
Original Demands and Current Situation
The prisoners' original main demands included:
- The right to a fair trial
- The deproscription of Palestine Action
- The closure of Elbit's UK sites
- An end to censorship of their communications
- Immediate bail
Prisoners for Palestine has stated that all the prisoners should be granted compassionate bail as they "have not been recovering well" following their protest actions. The Ministry of Justice has been approached for comment on the situation but has not yet responded publicly to the allegations made by the prisoners' supporters.
