O'Hara family urge British government to negotiate with Palestine hunger strikers

The family of a Derry hunger striker has called on the British government to negotiate with pro-Palestinian prisoners currently on hunger strike.

The eight prisoners on hunger strike are facing charges related to alleged break-ins or criminal damage on behalf of Palestine Action before the group was banned under terrorism legislation – charges which they deny and have called to be dropped.

Four of the group are accused of playing roles in the break-in to an Israeli-linked defence firm in 2024 and are due to go on trial in May next year at the earliest.

The other four are accused of breaking into RAF Brize Norton in June, where it is alleged they caused millions of pounds worth of damage to two military jets.

Qesser Zuhrah, Amu Gib, Heba Muraisi, Teuta Hoxha and Kamran Ahmed are on full hunger strike. Lewie Chiaramello is on a partial strike. Jon Cink and Umer Khalid are believed to have ended their strike after 41 days and 13 days respectively this week.

The hunger strike began in early November in protest at being held in custody while awaiting trial.

In a statement posted on social media, the family of INLA volunteer Patsy O'Hara urged the British government to end the protest.

"We the family of Patsy O Hara view with great concern the treatment of the Hunger Strikers of the Palestinain action activists incarcerated in various English prisons. And call on the British government to negotiate with the Protesters to end the fast.

"Some will be approaching the 50 days without food mark. That is takes them into a critical stage where damage will be done to their bodies, damage that they may never recover from, and ultimately death.

"This can be ended by granting them all immediate bail and ensure that they have the right to a fair trial and the de-proscription of Palestine Action, that should never have been Proscribed in the first place.

"The British government should be proscribed for it being complicit in the genocide of the Palestinian people by continuing to send arms and military parts to Israel to use in their war crimes.

O'Hara died after 61 days on hunger strike in 1981. He was one of three INLA prisoners to die on the protest, including fellow Derry prisoner Mickey Devine.