Gaza, May 13 (Xinhua-ANI): Palestinian protestors on Sunday blocked staff of some international organizations from entering their offices for two hours, demanding urgent intervention to save hunger-striking prisoners in Israeli jails.
Dozens of demonstrators gathered in front of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) building, the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and others in Gaza City. The protestors held Palestinian flags and banners, condemning the lack of international pressure on Israel.
Some workers at the organizations tried to make their way into their offices, but the protestors pushed them back.
Organizers of the protests said in a statement that the organizations, especially the ICRC, "shoulder, besides the Israeli government, the responsibility about the life of the prisoners."
"The death of any prisoner would be a disaster for the Israeli government and the silent, languid international organizations," the statement said.
In return, the ICRC said that it understands and supports the demands of the prisoners. "We check the prisoners regularly and ask the Israeli authorities to take all the needed procedures to protect them and improve the circumstances of their detention," said Ayman Shahabi, spokesman for the ICRC.
The main demand has been ending the detention of Palestinians without a charge, known as the administrative detention. Two of the prisoners on administrative detention have been fasting for 76 days.
On April 17, at least 1,500 prisoners joined the hunger strike and the requests increased and varied from improving the day to day conditions and ending the solitary confinement.
Israel has responded to some of the demands and the inmates are studying them. (Xinhua-ANI)
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