Terrorists imprisoned at Ofer Prison outside of Jerusalem have launched a hunger strike after a riot broke out there that saw Palestinian security prisoners set fire to a cell in protest over actions by the Israel Prison Service.
On Monday, IPS special units conducted searches of the prison's cells, during which they seized weapons, cellular phones and SIM cards, and writing materials. Two miniature cell phones were found hidden on the body of one prisoner affiliated with the Islamic Jihad group.
Prisoners involved in hiding the contraband were punished.
In response, prisoners set one cell on fire and starting rioting in a few different wings at the facility. Three prisoners were injured and required medical treatment.
Guards extinguished the fire.
The prisoners refused both dinner on Monday and breakfast on Tuesday morning.
The Israel Prison Service said in response to the protest that the hunger strike violated prison rules and that prisoners participating in the strike could face disciplinary measures.
In solidarity with the hunger strikers, leaders of the Hamas operatives imprisoned in Israel threatened to "declare a series of steps in solidarity with the inmates at Ofer Prison."
The Hamas prisoner leaders claimed that over 120 inmates had been injured in the rioting.
Senior Hamas official Mushir al-Masri said, "We are telling [Prime Minister] Netanyahu and all the Israeli leaders not to use the prisoners' situation in their election campaign, unless they want to ignite clashes."
