In a significant development for activist movements and UK-Israel defense relations, three prisoners affiliated with Palestine Action have terminated their prolonged hunger strike following the British government’s decision to withhold a multi-billion-pound contract from Elbit Systems UK, the British subsidiary of the Israeli arms manufacturer. The cessation marks the conclusion of the longest hunger strike in British penal history.
Heba Muraisi and Kamran Ahmed, who had abstained from both food and water for over sixty days, alongside Lewie Chiaramello—who managed his Type 1 Diabetes while engaging in an alternating-day hunger strike for 46 days—agreed to end their protest late Wednesday. This decision coincided with urgent medical warnings that the strikers were nearing fatal organ failure.
Simultaneously, four additional protesters—Teuta Hoxha, Jon Cink, Qesser Zuhrah, and Amu Gib—who had previously suspended their strikes in late 2023, formally agreed not to resume their action. The collective resolution brings a close to a highly publicized campaign that highlighted intersections of activism, incarceration, and international arms trading.
The advocacy group Prisoners for Palestine condemned the ongoing detention of these individuals, labeling it a permanent stain on Britain’s democratic credentials. The organization asserted that Britain is effectively holding political prisoners in service of a foreign regime engaged in genocide, a statement that underscores the deeply polarized perspectives on the Gaza conflict.
Family members expressed both relief and unresolved anger. Audrey Corno, a relative of Teuta Hoxha, described the ordeal as a ‘painfully traumatic experience’ for loved ones, noting that while victory is declared, critical refeeding processes and long-term health impacts for Muraisi and Ahmed remain a serious concern.
Nida Gib, related to protester Amu Gib, sharply criticized the Labour government’s silence throughout the crisis, accusing ministers of attempting to isolate dissidents who challenge Britain’s complicity in overseas conflicts. She highlighted the harsh treatment prisoners endured, including being handcuffed to hospital beds during refeeding, and vowed that the movement built around this case would continue to demand accountability and expose perceived injustices.