“Israel is taking it seriously simply because of the possible consequences,” said Ghassan Khatib, a professor at Birzeit University and a former Palestinian official. View all New York Times newsletters. The prisoners’ demands include more family visits, an end to solitary confinement, better health care and greater access to education. Qadura Fares, director of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, a nongovernmental organization, said the prisoners would not end the hunger strike until their demands had been met. The Israeli prison service said that hunger strikes were illegal and that participants would be disciplined.

Source: New York Times April 17, 2017 13:18 UTC