RAMALLAH, October 5, 2011 (WAFA) – A number of Palestinians suffered Wednesday severe suffocation cases, including two reporters due to Israeli repression of the peaceful sit-in in solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners in Ofer prison, west of Ramallah, according to WAFA’s correspondent.

 Witnesses  said that Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and stun grenades at the participants, injuring a number of them, among them two journalists.

Palestinians held a sit-in today close to Ofer prison in solidarity with the prisoners, who are on a hunger strike for the ninth day in a row, protesting the arbitrary Israeli measures against them and calling to meet their rightful demands.

The protesters stressed on the importance of releasing all the prisoners, demanding the international community and its institutions to uphold their responsibilities in pressuring  the Israeli government to meet the prisoners’ just and human demands.

Minister of Detainees Affairs, Issa Qaraqe told WAFA that “this sit-in and other activities will continue in the framework of supporting  the prisoners’ cause until their demands are achieved. In addition, it’s a message to the international community on the need to act, uphold their responsibility and put an end to Israeli measure against the prisoners.”

Qaraqe held the Israeli government fully responsible for what is happening in the jails in light of not meeting the prisoners’ human and just demands, indicating that the ministry demanded the international Red Cross to act extensively and fulfill its role.

Ra'ed Radwan, secretary of Fatah movement in the Ramallah district said, “these official and popular events aim to deliver a message to the international community on the prisoners’ condition in Israeli prisons and their suffering in light of the systematic Israeli policy to tighten grip on prisoners.”

He added that the world needs to move and fulfill its role in supporting the change witnessed in the Arab region, which calls for freedom and social justice.

The prisoners, who are on their ninth day of hunger strike, stressed that they will continue their strike and they won’t stop until they obtain actual results.

M.G. /F.R.