Three hunger strikers affiliated with Palestine Action have ended their 73-day hunger strike, citing the fulfillment of a crucial demand. Kamran Ahmed, Heba Muraisi, and Lewie Chiaramello made the announcement today, revealing their decision to cease the hunger strike following the denial of a significant government contract to defense contractor Elbit Systems UK, which was one of their main requests.
Elbit Systems lost out on a £2 billion contract that involved training 60,000 British troops annually, as confirmed in the latest reports. Heba Muraisi, 31, who endured 73 days without food, is currently detained at HMP New Hall, located over 200 miles away from her loved ones. Her health has reportedly deteriorated rapidly in recent days, prompting discussions among Members of Parliament to potentially relocate her to HMP Bronzefield for closer proximity to her family.
Kamran Ahmed, who faced hospitalization six times and was diagnosed with bradycardia after abstaining from food for 66 days, received criticism from his sister directed at the government, particularly expressing disappointment considering the government’s affiliation with the Labour party. Lewie Chiaramello, who has type 1 diabetes, adopted a pattern of fasting every other day as part of his hunger strike.
Recent reports from MP Zarah Sultana highlighted the challenges faced by Teuta Hoxha, who ended her 58-day hunger strike and is now grappling with re-feeding syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition triggered by prolonged fasting. Zarah Sultana, speaking on behalf of Prisoners for Palestine, emphasized the critical condition of Teuta Hoxha, who has also been hospitalized after the hunger strike.
Elbit Systems UK, a subsidiary of Israel’s prominent arms manufacturer, has been a target for activists due to its involvement in supplying armaments used against Palestinians in Gaza. The company, which vied for a £2 billion contract to train soldiers for combat, lost the bid to a consortium led by Raytheon UK, a subsidiary of a US defense corporation, as per sources from the Ministry of Defence.
The decision to award the contract to Raytheon was reportedly based on a comprehensive evaluation process that deemed Raytheon a superior candidate, although specifics were not provided.