Israel Frees Palestinian Prisoner After 103-Day Hunger Strike

Israel released a Palestinian prisoner who spent 103 days on a hunger strike to protest his being held without charge. Maher al-Akhras, who went on the hunger strike in July after being ordered into administrative detention, ended his hunger strike earlier this month after Israeli officials promised he would be released when he completed his four-month detention. He was released from an Israeli hospital on Thursday. It is the fifth time that Akhras, 49 and the father of six, has been held in administrative detention since 1989, including stints of two years and of 16 months. He is suspected of having ties to the Islamic Jihad terror group. Palestinians under administrative detention can be held in an Israeli prison for an indefinite amount of time without trial. Over 350 Palestinians are currently being held in administrative detention, according to the Palestinian WAFA news agency.