Palestine Action hunger strike ends after UK halts Elbit contract

Published: 15 January 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

Three imprisoned activists linked to Palestine Action have ended a prolonged hunger strike after a government decision halted a major defence contract. The development follows weeks of mounting concern over the physical condition of detainees refusing food in protest against Britain’s defence ties with Israel. The Palestine Action hunger strike had drawn increasing attention across civil society, legal circles, and international human rights observers.

The prisoners, all awaiting trial for offences connected to direct action protests, confirmed they would begin refeeding under medical supervision. Their decision came after the Ministry of Defence chose not to award a £2 billion training contract to Elbit Systems UK, a subsidiary of Israel’s largest arms manufacturer. Campaigners viewed the move as a significant concession, marking the first time sustained prisoner protest had coincided with a reversal of defence procurement plans.

Concerns had intensified earlier this week as one striker, Heba Muraisi, reached seventy-three days without food. Medical experts have long warned that hunger strikes beyond forty days carry severe risks, including organ failure and sudden death. Muraisi’s protest matched the duration reached by Irish republican Kieran Doherty during the 1981 hunger strikes, a comparison that unsettled prison health officials and campaign supporters alike.

Alongside Muraisi, Kamran Ahmed and Lewie Chiaramello also ended their refusal of food. Chiaramello’s case had raised particular alarm due to his type one diabetes and alternating fasting pattern. Prisoner advocacy groups confirmed all three had commenced gradual nutritional intake, a medically delicate phase that requires close monitoring to avoid refeeding syndrome.

Four other detainees who had previously paused their protest announced they would not resume it. Teuta Hoxha, Jon Cink, Qesser Zuhrah, and Amu Gib each cited partial progress on demands and the deteriorating health of fellow prisoners. However, Umar Khalid, another Palestine Action supporter, continues his hunger strike, maintaining pressure on authorities as legal proceedings approach.

The contract at the centre of the dispute would have seen Elbit Systems UK train up to sixty thousand British soldiers annually. Critics argued the arrangement symbolised institutional complicity in overseas military actions linked to civilian harm. By withdrawing from the deal, the government signalled what observers described as a subtle but notable shift in official thinking, even as ministers avoided framing the decision as politically motivated.

Prisoners for Palestine, the group coordinating external advocacy, said the reversal fulfilled a central demand of the Palestine Action hunger strike. The organisation emphasised that Elbit Systems had secured more than ten UK public contracts since 2012, making this decision unusually significant. Activists framed it as evidence that sustained pressure can disrupt entrenched defence relationships.

Beyond the contract issue, negotiations had quietly expanded to cover prison conditions. A meeting between national prison healthcare leaders and representatives of the hunger strikers took place last Friday at the Ministry of Justice’s request. According to campaigners, discussions included healthcare standards, communication access, and treatment protocols for politically sensitive detainees.

One outcome involved Muraisi’s long-requested transfer back to HMP Bronzefield in Surrey. She had previously been moved to HMP New Hall in Wakefield, placing her hundreds of miles from family support. Prison authorities confirmed the transfer request had been accepted, a move welcomed by relatives and legal observers who had raised concerns about isolation and wellbeing.

Censorship of prisoner communications also emerged as a focal point. During the strike, several detainees reportedly received delayed mail in bulk, including letters withheld for months. In one case, prison staff issued an apology for a six-month delay. Books addressing Gaza and feminist theory, previously restricted, were eventually released after prolonged review.

Campaigners argue these developments underscore broader systemic issues within the prison system when dealing with politically motivated prisoners. Hoxha has reportedly been offered a meeting with the head of her prison’s joint extremism unit, a body activists claim influences detainee treatment. Officials have not publicly commented on the unit’s role in this case.

The wider movement surrounding Palestine Action has grown rapidly during the hunger strike period. Organisers claim more than five hundred people have pledged to engage in direct action in recent weeks, exceeding participation levels seen across the group’s previous five-year campaign. That earlier campaign culminated in the closure of four Israeli weapons factories in Britain, according to activists.

Supporters describe the hunger strike as a defining moment of resistance that exposed uncomfortable realities about Britain’s legal and political landscape. They argue it highlighted the existence of political prisoners acting in opposition to foreign military interests. Government representatives, however, continue to frame the detainees as criminal suspects rather than political actors.

Amu Gib, one of the prisoners ending his protest, issued a statement reflecting the group’s continued defiance. He stressed that trust in government institutions remained absent and that decisions over personal sacrifice belonged solely to the protesters themselves. His words echoed a broader sentiment among supporters that concessions achieved were only partial victories.

Human rights lawyers caution that the episode raises unresolved questions about proportionality, freedom of expression, and the treatment of remand prisoners. While the immediate health crisis has eased for most participants, legal battles remain ahead, and scrutiny of Britain’s defence partnerships is unlikely to fade.

As the Palestine Action hunger strike draws toward its conclusion, its legacy continues to reverberate. For supporters, it demonstrated the power of collective sacrifice to influence state decisions. For critics, it exposed vulnerabilities within policy-making under pressure. For the prisoners involved, the end of fasting marks not closure, but a transition into the next phase of a deeply contested struggle.

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