Palestinian hunger striker prisoner to appeal to Supreme Court

The lawyer for a Palestinian prisoner says that his client will appeal his case to the Supreme Court as he continues what his family says is a 165-day hunger strike against his detention.

The release of hunger striker Khalil Awawdeh was among the demands of the Islamic Jihad terror group for a ceasefire to last week’s intense fighting in the Gaza Strip.

Khalil Awawdeh is protesting being held without charge or trial under what Israel refers to as administrative detention. Ahlam Haddad, Awawdeh’s lawyer, says her client’s health is deteriorating and that they asked that he be released. An Israeli military court yesterday rejected an appeal. Israel claims he is a member of a terror group, which he denies.

“Justice was not done with that man,” Haddad said. “We turn to… the Supreme Court in Jerusalem, in order maybe to get the relief requested, which is his release from administrative detention.”