PARIS, May 10, 2012 (WAFA) – France has expressed concern about the health of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails who have been on hunger strike for several weeks and months, said a statement issued on Wednesday by the French foreign ministry.

“We’re extremely concerned by the rapidly deteriorating health of several Palestinian prisoners who have gone on hunger strike in Israel,” said the statement made by the ministry's spokesperson.

“For humanitarian reasons, we urge the Israeli authorities to be sensitive to the risk of a tragic outcome and to take appropriate action as a matter of urgency,” said the spokesperson.

The statement also made reference to administrative detention Israel uses to arrest Palestinians for various periods of time without official charge or trial.

“We also underscored that administrative detention should remain an exception, be of limited duration and be used in compliance with fundamental guarantees, notably the rights of defense of the detainee and the right to a fair trial within a reasonable period of time,” it said.

France is continuing to closely monitor developments in the situation, added the statement.

M.S.