Two Palestinians end hunger strike

Two other fasting prisoners hospitalized to prevent deterioration in their condition

JERUSALEM (AP) — Two Palestinian prisoners held by Israel have ended their hunger strike of nearly three months while two other hunger strikers have been hospitalized, an Israeli official said Thursday.

The prisoners who ended their fast did so because an Israeli military prosecutor told them he would not seek to extend their detention at a hearing next week, said their lawyer, Jawad Boulous.

The two prisoners, Tarek Qaadan and Jafar Ezzeldeen, are being held without charges or trial, in so-called administrative detention. This means their detention can be extended repeatedly.

Sivan Weizman, a spokeswoman for Israel’s prison service, said the two started eating on Wednesday, ending a fast that began Dec. 3.

Two other Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike were hospitalized to prevent their health from deteriorating further, Weizman said.

The two, Samer Issawi and Ayman Sharawneh, were released in 2011, as part of a swap of several hundred Palestinian prisoners for an Israeli soldier who had been held by Hamas militants for more than five years.

Both were rearrested last year for violating the conditions of their release, and have staged lengthy hunger strikes since then.

As part of their fast, all four have refused food, but received vitamins and other nutrients intravenously.

Palestinians have been protesting for days in support of the hunger strikers and have warned of backlash if any of them die.