Seventy prisoners held in Israeli jails on Tuesday launched hunger strike action in protest against Israel’s policy of solitary confinement, a prisoners’ group said.

The protest action was launched in solidarity with detainees being held in solitary confinement, some of whom had already gone on hunger strike to protest the policy.

The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society said in a statement that Nahar al-Saadi has been on hunger strike since Nov. 20 to protest being held in solitary confinement.

His demands include ending his solitary confinement, allowing family visits, and ending the solitary confinement of other prisoners.

Islamic Jihad called for an end to al-Saadi’s confinement and praised the action of the hunger strikers.

Earlier, the PPS said prisoners Fahd Sawalha and Mahmoud Kleibim, both held in Nafha prison, also began a hunger strike on Saturday in protest at being held in solitary confinement, a policy which currently affects 30 detainees.

Around 7,000 Palestinians are currently being held in Israeli prisons, more than 2,000 of whom were arrested by Israeli forces over this summer amid heavy tensions and violence in the West Bank and Gaza.

(Ma’an – www.maannews.net)