Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have begun an open-ended hunger strike to demand better prison conditions, according to Palestinian and Israeli officials.
Issa Qaraqe, head of the Palestinian prisoners commission, told local media that about 1300 prisoners were protesting over grievances including medical negligence, administrative detention and limited family visits.
According to the Israeli Prison Service, 700 Palestinian prisoners have declared that they will join the hunger strike, a number that the service expects to increase in coming days.
The strike was called by imprisoned Fatah party leader Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life terms for his involvement in the killing of Israelis earlier this century.
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