Fourth Palestine Action hunger striker gives up after over 50 days

A fourth Palestine Action hunger striker has given up the protest after more than 50 days - as three others maintain their fast.

Amy Gardiner-Gibson, also known as Amu Gib, has ended the strike having been reportedly taken to hospital.

They lost more than 10kg of weight during the fast, according to their lawyers, and experienced muscle twitches and deep exhaustion and was offered a wheelchair.

The protester, who is thought to be held at HMP Bronzefield, began the demonstration with Qesser Zuhrah on November 2.

Zuhrah ended her strike on Monday after 48 days amid protests outside the prison claiming she had been refused full medical assistance.

Eight activists have been involved in the strike in total, which is the biggest in the UK since 1981 when 10 IRA prisoners died.

During those protests, which were eventually called off after 217 days, one prisoner -Martin Hurson - died after 46 days.

In a statement announcing Gardiner-Gibson's withdrawal from the strike, Prisoners for Palestine said: 'After 48 and 49 days respectively of hunger strike, when many prisoners are facing imminent death, Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib now formally pause their hunger strike.

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'During the Christmas recess in parliament, legal action is being taken against the government as they, and prison officials, have breached their own policy by failing to engage, address, and attempt to resolve the strike. 

'No matter the response of the government, the hunger strikers are victorious, due to the people rising up for them and for Palestinian liberation. Their self sacrifice has made the world rise up in righteous rage at the injustice they, and the Palestinian people, face at the hands of those in power.' 

Gardiner-Gibson added: 'We have never trusted the government with our lives, and we will not start now. 

'There will be no turkey dinner and break in the Zionist programme of genocide. We are committed to the resistance of their script, not until Christmas, but for the rest of our lives.'

The Daily Mail has approached the Ministry of Justice for comment. 

It comes after the strikers' lawyers set a Tuesday afternoon deadline for the Government to answer their High Court challenge threat. 

There have been numerous instances of the Palestine Action protesters being rushed to hospital since the strike began almost two months ago, with just three still participating and one turning their full strike into an intermittent fast due to an underlying health problem.

The prisoners still striking are Heba Muraisi, Teuta Hoxha and Kamran Ahmad, who are believed to have been refusing food for 50 days, 44 days and 43 days respectively.

Muraisi is believed to have caught a cold on the 34th day of her strike at HMP Newhall.

Hoxha and Kamran Ahmed were both taken to hospital last month following headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath and low blood pressure at HMP Peterborough.

Mr Ahmed collapsed twice in his cell in November.

Hoxha's family warned on Monday that she will die in jail if the government does not intervene.

She suffers from continuous headaches, mobility issues, and can no longer stand for prayer, says her sister.

Hoxha has been awaiting trial for 13 months over alleged criminal damage, aggravated burglary and violent disorder at a factory for Elbit systems ​in Filton, near Bristol.

The Filton action saw over £1 million of damage caused to Elbit’s research centre.

A prison officer was allegedly left with a fractured spine after the incident, a court heard.

The other strikers allegedly broke into RAF Brize Norton and damaged two military planes.

In the aftermath of the incident, Palestine Action said two of its activists infiltrated Britain's largest RAF base and sprayed red paint into the engines of two Airbus Voyager aircraft before escaping without being caught. 

Hoxha's sister, Rahma, 17, said that the prisoner has already told doctors what to do, should she collapse or die.

'She's only 29 - she's not even 30 yet and nobody should be thinking about that', she said.

Lawyers claim the activists are also being hit with heavy restrictions on visits, calls and mail and this could amount to enforced disappearance, citing claims from UN special rapporteurs. 

The hunger strike started following complaints of alleged mistreatment in prison as well as a string of demands, including the ban on Palestine Action being lifted and a defence firm with ties to Israel being shut down.

Courts granted permission for the group's founder Huda Ammori to challenge the move to proscribe the organisation under anti-terror laws, meaning three High Court judges will rule on the ban's lawfulness in the coming weeks.

Lawyers added that it has been becoming increasingly difficult to talk to clients about the state of their health because 'all are showing signs of memory loss'.

The strike was described as an 'imminent risk to their health and life and a 'medical emergency' in a previous letter to NHS England, signed by 147 medical professionals.

Ms Ammori described the protesters' conditions as an 'emergency'.

She said on social media: 'Their health is severely deteriorating, with one described as "skeletal".

'Each face up to two years on remand before trial and face harsher treatment as they are labelled as "terrorists". This is an emergency.'

A first IRA hunger strike, opposed by the group's leadership, began in October 1980 but ultimately ended after 53 days, despite prisoners' demands not being met.

The famous second strike commenced in March the following year, kicked off by new prisoner leader, Bobby Sands, who started refusing food just weeks before he was elected MP for Fermanagh/South Tyrone. 

Sands died on the 66th day of his strike in early May with 70,000 people attending his funeral. 

Second striker, Francis Hughes, died on May 12 after 59 days of striking, before Raymond McCreesh and Patsy O'Hara both died aged 24 on May 21 - 61 days into their protest.

Joe McDonnell also died after 61 days, on July 8, just days before Hurson died after 46 days of his strike.

Kevin Lynch, Kieran Doherty and Thomas McIlwee all died in August 1981, after 71, 73 and 62 days respectively.

Michael Devine was the last prisoner to die, on August 20, following a 60-day strike. 

The strike ended on October 3, 1981, despite none of the protesters' demands being met. 

This week's withdrawals from the Palestine Action hunger strike come after Greta Thunberg was arrested in central London at a protest supporting the protesters.

Footage showed the 22-year-old activist holding a sign saying 'I support Palestine Action prisoners, I oppose genocide' outside the headquarters of an insurance firm.

A City of London Police officer could be seen taking away the placard before asking Ms Thunberg to stand.

The Prisoners for Palestine protest group said it targeted Aspen Insurance because it provides services to Israeli-linked defence firm Elbit Systems.

Two activists sprayed red paint over the front of the building before police arrived and made arrests.