Protesters demonstrate outside Red Cross for Palestinian journalist
Protesters demonstrate outside Red Cross for Palestinian journalist
Imprisoned Palestinian journalist Mohammed al-Qiq's health is further deteriorating after more than two months of hunger strike.
2 min read
Protesters demonstrated outside the red cross in Ramallah [al-Araby al-Jadeed]
Activists have barricaded the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Ramallah in solidarity with Mohammed al-Qiq, a Palestinian journalist detained by Israel, who has now been on hunger strike for 77 days.
"The closure of the Red Cross was due to international silence, especially from the Red Cross, towards the suffering of Mohammed al-Qiq," said Saad Omar, a local activist. Protesters also delivered a letter of protest to the organisation.
A Red Cross spokesperson said its operations were not affected by the protest on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Red Cross has reopened its Gaza office after it was closed for a day as protesters attempted to storm into the facility.
Dozens of Gazans have protested daily at the office in recent weeks in solidarity with the Palestinian hunger striker, demanding that the Red Cross help bring about his release. They tried to enter the building forcefully on Sunday, causing damage.
Spokeswoman Suhair Zakkout said on Monday that all normal activities had been resumed after "discussions" with officials from Hamas, which controls the beseiged enclave. She declined to elaborate further.
Last Thursdaym Israel's Supreme Court suspended the detention without trial of the journalist - but he cannot leave hospital without permission from Israeli authorities.
Al-Qiq's family decried the court ruling as "murder and execution" under the pretext of medical treatment - and a way to dodge responsibility for anything that may happen to him.
In a hand-written note shared by prisoners' rights activists, the journalist quoted from a poem by Tawfeeq Ziad:
"To the Palestinian people and the free people of the world; I call your names, hold your hands tightly and kiss the ground from underneath your feet."
"The closure of the Red Cross was due to international silence, especially from the Red Cross, towards the suffering of Mohammed al-Qiq," said Saad Omar, a local activist. Protesters also delivered a letter of protest to the organisation.
A Red Cross spokesperson said its operations were not affected by the protest on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Red Cross has reopened its Gaza office after it was closed for a day as protesters attempted to storm into the facility.
Dozens of Gazans have protested daily at the office in recent weeks in solidarity with the Palestinian hunger striker, demanding that the Red Cross help bring about his release. They tried to enter the building forcefully on Sunday, causing damage.
Spokeswoman Suhair Zakkout said on Monday that all normal activities had been resumed after "discussions" with officials from Hamas, which controls the beseiged enclave. She declined to elaborate further.
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| Mohammed al-Qiq's health has been deteriorating [TheNewArab] |
Last Thursdaym Israel's Supreme Court suspended the detention without trial of the journalist - but he cannot leave hospital without permission from Israeli authorities.
Al-Qiq's family decried the court ruling as "murder and execution" under the pretext of medical treatment - and a way to dodge responsibility for anything that may happen to him.
In a hand-written note shared by prisoners' rights activists, the journalist quoted from a poem by Tawfeeq Ziad:
"To the Palestinian people and the free people of the world; I call your names, hold your hands tightly and kiss the ground from underneath your feet."
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