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By Lara Oak for The Palestine Monitor

Jerusalem–On Saturday, 8 September, demonstrators gathered in front of Damascus Gate in a show of support for the four hunger striking Palestinian prisoners, two of who are in their third month without food. The protest marked the 113th day of renewed hunger strike for Samer Al-Barq, who is the longest hunger striker in Palestinian history. His condition is slipping beyond critical and every hour could be his last.

Under the afternoon sun, demonstrators young and old called for the release and the recognition of the plight of the remaining prisoners held without charge in administrative detention.

Slowly the procession of approximately one hundred demonstrators wound their way through East Jerusalem accompanied by the presence of Israeli soldiers and police. The atmosphere was both elated and tense. The media present were anticipating the mood to implode and to catch the moment the soldiers made their swoop on anyone of the demonstrators. After a plastic bottle was thrown at a soldier, they made their arrest of the supposed perpetrator, a boy of less than 14 years who ran into a shop to avoid arrest but was closely followed by soldiers and escorted off to a police van.

Prisoners Rights Organisation Adameer sent lawyer Fares Ziad to visit the longest serving hunger strikers yesterday but was refused and told by the Israeli Prison Service that they had been transferred to Assaf Harofeh Hospital, which is alarming as no news has been heard about the strikers for some time.

The wait continues as no agreement has been reached between Israel and the prisoners. And so the strikers remain shackled to their hospital beds, their strength weakening, but their resolve unwavering.