Palestinian Hunger Striker Heba Muraisi Nears Collapse After 57 Days Without Food
Heba Muraisi’s Health Takes Critical Turn
Palestinian activist Heba Muraisi is on the brink after 57 days of hunger striking in HMP New Hall. The prisoner is reportedly losing her ability to speak and struggles to follow conversations, her support group revealed.
Muraisi, one of eight held over protests against Israeli arms giant Elbit Systems, began fasting in November. Now, her body is breaking down. In a phone call on day 53, she admitted: “I feel weaker as each day passes… Sometimes I struggle to construct sentences, sometimes I struggle to maintain conversation.”
Protesting Years Behind Bars Without Trial
The hunger strike highlights prolonged detentions without trial. Muraisi and fellow activists were arrested for alleged criminal damage to Elbit Systems’ Bristol site. Their trial isn’t scheduled until June 2026 – nearly two years locked up without a verdict.
Others in the group have ended their strikes due to health risks, while a few continue. One prisoner fasts on alternate days due to Type 1 diabetes. But Muraisi remains defiant:
“Mentally I’m still headstrong. This is not about dying, because unlike the enemy I love life.”
Government Stands Firm Despite Rising Outcry
The prisoners demand the end of all communication censorship, immediate bail, fair trials, and de-proscription of Palestine Action, branded a terror group by the UK government. They also call for Elbit Systems’ closure.
Lord Timpson, prisons minister, shrug off concerns. He says hunger strikes are “regular” – over 200 a year – and insists safety procedures are in place. He denies claims hospital care was withheld, pointing out several strikers got treatment.
Crisis Point: Experts Warn of Deadly Risks
Medical experts warn the strikers face a critical turning point. Dr James Smith from UCL warned of permanent organ damage and sudden death risks from long-term fasting.
This is the biggest hunger strike in the UK since the infamous 1981 IRA protests that ended with 10 deaths, including Bobby Sands.
