RAMALLAH, May 17, 2012 (WAFA) – The Israel Prison Service (IPS) Thursday brought 18 prisoners held in solitary confinement for years out of isolation and placed them in jails with other Palestinian prisoners, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club.

It said in a statement that the IPS has kept up its part of the agreement reached on Monday between around 2000 prisoners and the IPS ending as a result a hunger strike started on April 17.

Solitary confinement for long periods of time was the main issue that has triggered the strike.

Most prominent among the isolated prisoners were Ahmad Saadat, head of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Hasan Salameh, Abdullah Barghouti and Ibrahim Hamed, all top Hamas operatives.

M.S.