Prisoners Hospitalised as Hunger Strike Enters Critical Phase
Eight individuals awaiting trial for alleged offences linked to the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action have undertaken hunger strikes in UK prisons, with seven having been taken to hospital since their protests began. The activists, who deny all charges against them, are demanding immediate bail, the lifting of the ban on Palestine Action, and an end to restrictions on their communications.
Who Are the Hunger Strikers and What Are Their Cases?
The protest began on 2 November when Qesser Zuhrah, 20, and Amu Gib, 30, held at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, refused food. They were joined a day later by Heba Muraisi, 31, at HMP New Hall. The group also includes Teuta Hoxha, 29, Kamran Ahmed, 28, and Lewie Chiaramello, 22, who is refusing food every other day due to his diabetes.
Earlier in December, Jon Cink and Umer Khalid ended their 41-day and 13-day hunger strikes respectively for health reasons after being admitted to hospital. They have since been discharged back into custody.
Cink, Khalid, Chiaramello and Gib are accused of involvement in a break-in at RAF Brize Norton in June, where two military jets were allegedly damaged. Their trial is not scheduled until 2027.
Zuhrah, Muraisi, Hoxha and Ahmed are accused of roles in a break-in at an Israeli-linked defence firm, Elbit Systems, in 2024. Their trial is expected no earlier than May 2025.
Government and Prison Service Response Under Scrutiny
Lawyers for the group have heavily criticised Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, David Lammy, for refusing to meet with them. They accuse him of failing to adhere to the Ministry of Justice's own policy on managing hunger strikes in custody.
When questioned in the Commons, Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that "rules and procedures" were being followed. Prisons Minister James Timpson asserted that the service is "very experienced" and has "robust and working" systems, confirming that the government "would not be meeting" the prisoners or their representatives.
However, representatives for the hunger strikers allege serious lapses in medical care. They claim that for Qesser Zuhrah, an ambulance was only called after she spent a night requesting hospital transfer, and that her vital signs were taken intermittently. It was also alleged she received inadequate electrolytes after a hospital visit because HMP Bronzefield had run out.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "Prisoners’ wellbeing is continually assessed, and appropriate action is taken, including hospital treatment where required." A spokesperson for HMP Bronzefield added that any prisoner refusing food receives regular clinical assessment and support.
Experts Warn of Severe and Unpredictable Health Risks
The health situation is becoming increasingly grave. Seven prisoners have required hospital treatment, with five admitted on more than one occasion.
Dr James Smith, an emergency physician and lecturer at University College London who is in contact with some activists and families, warned at a press conference that some strikers are "slowly dying." He explained that after roughly three weeks, the body exhausts fat stores and begins breaking down muscle and organ tissue.
"Thereafter," Dr Smith stated, "there is a risk that grows with every passing day of sudden, severe and unpredictable bodily dysfunction." This stark medical assessment underscores the urgent health crisis developing within the prison system as the political standoff continues.
