A deepening humanitarian crisis is unfolding within Britain’s prison system as multiple Palestine Action-linked detainees continue a prolonged hunger strike, now entering its most critical phase. The situation has drawn sharp criticism from medical professionals and lawmakers who allege systematic neglect and violations of standard healthcare protocols.
At the center of the controversy is Kamran Ahmed, hospitalized for the second time this week after refusing food since November 2nd. His sister, Shahmina Alam, describes an agonizing information blackout imposed by Pentonville prison authorities. ‘We don’t know how he’s doing, that’s the honest answer,’ Alam told Middle East Eye, explaining how the institution has blocked direct medical updates from healthcare providers to families and legal representatives.
This communication barrier mirrors experiences across multiple facilities. Ella Moulsdale, listed as next of kin for striker Qesser Zuhrah at HMP Bronzefield, discovered the prison had replaced her as emergency contact without consultation. ‘The hospital refused her a call to me and her lawyer,’ Moulsdale revealed, describing how she learned of Zuhrah’s December 3rd hospitalization through absence rather than official notification.
Medical oversight appears dangerously inadequate according to emergency physician Dr. James Smith, who has been advising the strikers’ families. He reports consistent failures in basic monitoring: ‘There doesn’t appear to have been a single day where a full set of clinical signs have been shared with me by the next of kin.’ Particularly alarming are missing daily measurements of ketone levels and weight—critical indicators when prisoners approach 40 days without nutrition.
The physical deterioration has become severe. Ahmed exhibited dangerously high ketone levels and slowing pulse rates before hospitalization, conditions that can precipitate coma or cardiac arrest. Dr. Smith emphasizes the extreme vulnerability during this phase: ‘The body is effectively starting to break down muscles and essential organs. There’s a very, very high risk of death due to infection or electrolyte imbalances that can stop the heart abruptly.’
Further concerns involve treatment obstruction by prison guards. Smith reports instances where hospitalized strikers were shackled to beds or officers during medical assessments, showers, and consultations—practices that interfere with proper healthcare delivery. He concludes that the standard of care falls ‘far below the minimum standard’ required for such high-risk patients.
With lives hanging in the balance, multiple MPs have urgently appealed to Justice Secretary David Lammy for intervention. Labour MP Zarah Sultana warned the strikers’ lives are ‘now at immediate risk’ and demanded ‘meaningful action.’ Thus far, responses have been inadequate or nonexistent, raising questions about accountability and transparency within the UK’s justice system as this preventable medical emergency escalates.
