UK resists meeting as Palestine Action hunger strikers face organ failure

The UK government is facing mounting criticism for refusing to arrange a ministerial meeting regarding six prisoners on hunger strike who are now at severe risk of death. The detainees, all charged with offenses including aggravated burglary and criminal damage and linked to the proscribed group Palestine Action, have refused food for several weeks, with some now entering a critical medical phase that threatens irreversible organ damage.

A "Critical" Situation with Two Hospitalizations

Green Party co-deputy leader Mothin Ali warned the situation had become dire. "These prisoners are now seriously ill. Amu Gib is on day 50 of their hunger strike while Kamran Ahmed is on day 42. After this length of time without food, they are at very high risk of organ failure, irreversible neurological damage and death," Ali told The Guardian. Supporters reported that two of the six have recently been taken to the hospital, intensifying fears that the protest could end fatally.

Political Demands and Government's Firm Stance

The hunger strikers have issued a series of demands, including immediate bail, an end to censorship of their communications, a fair trial, the removal of the ban on Palestine Action, and the closure of UK factories operated by Elbit Systems—an Israeli defense firm that supplies the majority of Israel's drones and military land equipment. Despite appeals from hundreds of healthcare professionals and MPs, the government remains immovable. At a Downing Street briefing, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesperson confirmed there were no plans for ministers to meet with the strikers' representatives, describing hunger strikes as "not a new issue for our prisons."

Widening Political Fallout and Accusations of Neglect

The government's stance has sparked a political backlash. Mothin Ali accused ministers of inaction, stating, "This horrific situation could have been prevented if ministers had agreed to meet with representatives of the hunger strikers and hear their concerns and demands." He argued it was "a terrible indictment of this government's failure" that prisoners felt forced to use their bodies as a final tool. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is among several MPs urging intervention, calling on the chief inspector of prisons to step in. While the government maintains that prison healthcare teams are providing continuous NHS monitoring, critics contend this is an inadequate response to a preventable humanitarian crisis within the justice system.