UK: Palestine Action hunger strikers hospitalised

Two imprisoned Palestine Action activists have been hospitalised in a critical condition after weeks of a hunger strike, according to Middle East Eye and agencies on December 22nd.

Amu Gib, 30, and Kamran Ahmed, 28, have been taken to hospital after fasting for over 40 days. Qesser Zuhrah, 20, is also currently being hospitalised. Two others, Jon Cink and Umer Khalid, ended their strikes for health reasons, while Heba Muraisi, Teuta Hoxha and Lewie Chiaramello are still on strike in jail, according to The Guardian.

The activists were arrested for two separate actions: Zuhrah, Ahmed, Muraisi and Hoxha are part of a group now known as the ‘Filton 24’. They were arrested after a break-in at an Elbit Systems facility, an Israeli weapon manufacturer linked to the Israeli army, in August 2024. The others are accused of breaking into the RAF Brize Norton army base and damaging two jets in June 2025. The events took place before the proscription of Palestine Action in July 2025 under the Terrorism Act 2000. The ban has received wide criticism in the UK, for misusing terror laws and criminalising protest.

The strikers started their hunger strikes after being held for over a year in jail without a trial, while British Law only allows for a 6-month pre-trial detention. They demand immediate bail, as well as the reversal of the ban on Palestine Action. Their families and supporters have repeatedly called on Secretary of State for Justice David Lammy, as well as Prime Minister Keir Starmer to meet them, to no avail. A cross party motion was submitted in Parliament to express “extreme concern” and to call for action, which has gathered 62 MP signatures so far.

There are now real fears that they could die in jail or suffer long term health issues. Ahmed’s sister, who was interviewed on Al Jazeera, said that there was “significant risk of organ damage” after her brother had been rapidly losing weight. There were also reports that the detainees had been denied adequate medical care.

Middle East Eye and agencies, Al Jazeera, Parliament.uk, The Guardian, Maghrebi.org