ICHR expresses its grave concern over the conditions of six detainees going on hunger strike in Gaza Central Prison (Al-Kateebeh) and holds the Deposed Palestinian government in Gaza responsible for their health conditions. 
According to the affidavits received by ICHR from the families of the detainees, the latter started an open hunger strike on Saturday 1/1/2011 to ensure their rights stated in the law, improve their conditions and ensure their treatment as political detainees. ICHR was able to visit some of them on 4/1/2011 where they affirmed that they would continue their open hunger strike.
In this context, ICHR is gravely concerned over banning its lawyer and staff from visiting the detainees on hunger striker on Thursday, contravening its jurisdiction as the National Human Rights Institution established in accordance with the constitution with the mission of monitoring human rights in Palestine, including making surprise visits to detention centers and prisons. Such a measure adversely affects its role and goal of maintaining and protecting human rights in Palestine.

In this context, ICHR demands the following:

1. Necessity of maintaining and respecting detainees’ rights according to international standards for human rights, as well as Palestinian laws, particularly the law of rehabilitation and reformation centers. 
2.  Necessity of allowing ICHR access to the six hunger striker detainees to make sure of their health conditions. 
3. Ensuring ICHR’s right, as a National Human Rights Institution, to normally visit all detention centers to ensure and maintain human rights in Palestine.

Names of the detainees going on hunger strike:

1. Zaki Rashad Al-Din Al-Sakani, detained since 2/8/2008.
2. Nael Jamal Fahmi Harb, detained since 13/12/2007, sentenced to life term in prison.
3. Shadi Khadir Ahmad, detained since 5/8/2007, sentenced to death.
4. Hassan Muhammad Haassan Al-Zant, detained since 20/1/2008, sentenced to life term in prison
5. Muhammad Khalil Ibrahim Khail, detained since 13/1/2008, sentence to 12 years in prison.
6. Jamil Zakarya Jabir Hajeh, detained since 17/8/2008, sentenced to death.