The ongoing hunger strike, now one of the lengthiest in recent history, has reached a critical phase with the lives of the participants hanging in the balance. Despite the urgency of the situation, official response from the Government remains conspicuously absent.
Six individuals in British correctional facilities have surpassed 46 days without sustenance, marking this protest as the most extended hunger strike since the 1981 Irish Republican Army demonstrations at HMP Maze / Long Kesh. Tragically, during the Irish protests, ten lives were lost due to a lack of political intervention, with Bobby Sands MP being the first casualty on the 66th day of his hunger strike.
Initiated on November 2nd, the Palestine Action hunger strike is now entering its second month, with the participants persisting in their refusal to eat. Among the demonstrators are Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib, both on their 46th day without food, alongside Heba Muraisa (day 45), Teuta Hoxha (day 39), Kamran Ahmed (day 38), and Lewie Chiaramello (day 24).
These individuals are abstaining from food as they await trial for their involvement in direct action protests supporting Palestine. While two others initially joined the hunger strike, they have since opted out of the protest.
The hunger strikers have put forth a set of demands which include the cessation of prison censorship and communication restrictions, immediate release on bail for all Palestine Action prisoners, fair trial proceedings, removal of the ‘terror’ label from Palestine Action, and closure of all Elbit Systems facilities in the UK.
The protesters, known as the Filton 24 and Brize Norton 4, have been linked to incidents involving the unauthorized entry into RAF Brize Norton and the defacing of an Airbus Voyager engine with red paint. Furthermore, the Filton detainees are allegedly connected to causing substantial damage to Elbit’s research center for Israeli weaponry in Filton, near Bristol.
Despite being unconvicted at present, the demonstrators remain in custody awaiting lengthy trial delays. Notably, Amu Gib, arrested in July 2025, may not face trial until January 2027, almost two years after incarceration.
The situation has garnered attention from various quarters, including appeals to political figures such as David Lammy, Wes Streeting, and Keir Starmer to intervene. Concerns have been raised about the health and well-being of the hunger strikers as they continue to push their bodies to the brink in protest.
Efforts to draw attention to the hunger strikers’ plight have intensified, with prominent personalities from the music, sports, and film industries signing an open letter urging government intervention to prevent potential fatalities among the prisoners. The silence of the authorities has been criticized, especially as the hunger strikers face deteriorating health conditions and prolonged detention without trial.