Three activists from the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action have ended a life-threatening hunger strike that lasted for 73 days, their campaign group has announced.
The End of a Gruelling Protest
The protesters, identified as Kamran Ahmed, Heba Muraisi, and Lewie Chiaramello, began 're-feeding' on Wednesday, 15th January 2026. They were among a group of defendants awaiting trial for their alleged involvement in Palestine Action raids and alleged criminal damage.
According to the support group Prisoners for Palestine, the strike was called off after the UK government met a key demand. The group claims the government has denied Israeli defence company Elbit Systems a £2 billion contract, though this has not been officially confirmed by authorities.
The health of one striker, Kamran Ahmed from east London, had deteriorated critically. Last week, he was reportedly at 'imminent risk of death' and was transferred to a hospital for urgent care.
A Shrinking Group of Strikers
The trio were among the last remaining hunger strikers from a larger group. Within the last month, four others—Teuta Hoxha, Jon Cink, Qesser Zuhrah, and Amu Gib—have also begun to take food again.
This leaves Umer Khalid as the sole remaining hunger striker, according to the campaigners' website. The strikes began on 2nd November last year, and several participants have required hospital treatment since.
The context of their protest is highly charged. Palestine Action was recently banned under terrorism legislation, making membership a criminal offence—a move that has faced widespread criticism and is currently being challenged in the High Court.
The Physical Toll of a Hunger Strike
Historian Ian Miller, an expert on hunger strikes in British prisons, outlined the severe physiological journey the protesters endured. In the first week, heart rates drop and rapid weight loss occurs as the body consumes fat reserves.
By the second week, the body starts using glycogen stores, producing ammonia and causing a distinctive smell. Weight loss slows, but heart mass decreases, leading to a dangerously slow heartbeat.
Beyond fifteen days, collapse becomes common, and psychological health deteriorates sharply, with severe nightmares and disturbed sleep. After 20 to 70 days, individuals enter a state of complete exhaustion. Historically, survival beyond 70 days without medical intervention is extremely rare, exemplified by Irish republican Terence MacSwiney, who died in 1920 after 74 days without food.
Prisoners for Palestine stated that national leaders of prison healthcare met with representatives of the hunger-striking prisoners last Friday to discuss conditions and treatment.
Reactions and the Road Ahead
Upon ending his fast, Lewie Chiaramello said, 'It is definitely a time for celebration. A time to rejoice and to embrace our joy as revolution and as liberation. We do this because of Palestine, because we’ve been inspired, because we’ve been empowered to take action.'
In a defiant statement, Prisoners for Palestine added: 'While these prisoners end their hunger strike, the resistance has just begun. Banning a group and imprisoning our comrades has backfired on the British state, direct action is alive and the people will drive Elbit out of Britain for good.'
Metro has contacted the Ministry of Justice for comment on the claims surrounding the Elbit contract and the prisoners' condition.
