Fourth Palestine Action detainee pauses hunger strike

A fourth activist remanded in prison for alleged activities with Palestine Action has "paused" their hunger strike.

Amy Gardiner-Gibson, who also goes by the name Amu Gib, has begun eating again after 49 days of going without food, according to the campaign group Prisoners for Palestine. In the last week, Qesser Zuhrah also paused her hunger strike after 48 days, hinting she might resume it in the new year.

It means four people have now ended their strike, while four others continue in some form, Prisoners for Palestine said in a statement. All are detained in prison on remand while they await trial for alleged break-ins or criminal damage, carried out in the name of Palestine Action, before the group was banned under terrorism legislation.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg was arrested in central London at a demonstration on Tuesday in support of the detained hunger strikers. They have been demanding the UK stops hosting weapons factories that supply arms to Israel, removes the proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist group, ends alleged mistreatment of prisoners in custody, and gives those on remand immediate bail.

Over the course of the strike, seven members of the group have been taken to hospital and doctors have raised concerns about the long-term impact on their health. On Monday, lawyers representing the group began the process of taking the government to court, accusing it of failing to follow prison safety and hunger strike policies.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice said: "Ministers do not intervene in individual cases. Where individuals are on remand, doing so would risk prejudicing ongoing legal proceedings and undermine the independence of the justice system.

"Concerns about welfare and process can be raised through established legal and administrative channels, including prison governors and ultimately the Prison and Probation Ombudsman. "Healthcare decisions are taken independently by qualified NHS professionals, and appropriate care and oversight frameworks remain in place." Sky News understands the department refutes the accusations made by the lawyers.

Four remand prisoners remain on hunger strike, including Heba Muraisi and Teuta Hoxha, who has been on remand for 13 months and whose family told Sky News they feared she would die in prison. Kamran Ahmad is said to have been on strike for 45 days and been hospitalised three times.

Lewie Chiaramello, who is type 1 diabetic, has been fasting every other day for 31 days. Umur Khalid and Jon Cink ended their strikes after 13 and 41 days, respectively..