Clashes erupted at the Barzilai Medical Center after Israelis in the hospital reportedly tried to assault the family and supporters of former Palestinian hunger striker Mohammad Allan, witnesses said.

Israeli police arrived at the scene and detained five people from the two sides, including two supporters of Allan’s family identified as Yasin Sbeih, and Naji Abbas.

Others have not yet been identified.

A statement by Israeli police said that a verbal quarrel took place between Allan’s family and the family of an Israeli patient at the hospital, which continued to escalate until police intervened around 8:30 p.m.

Allan, 31, ended his 66-day hunger strike last week after Israel’s top court suspended his administrative detention. He entered a coma twice before the hunger strike was through.

On Monday, the Palestinian Minister of Health said that the former prisoner was in a stable health condition and that his health is improving gradually.

Last week rights group Amnesty International reported that Israel’s suspension of Allan’s administrative detention was based on his medical condition alone and “took no account of the legality of his detention,” raising fears that Allan could be resentenced if proved to be in good health.

Allan’s hunger strike sparked new calls for Israel to curb its use of administrative detention under which prisoners may be held without trial or charge for renewable six-month periods, indefinitely.

(Ma’an)