Palestine Action Hunger strikers – Two remand prisoners linked to the Palestine Action protest group have been admitted to hospital after more than seven weeks on hunger strike, raising mounting concerns over their health and prison conditions.
Family members and supporters said Kamran Ahmed, 28, and Amu Gib, 30, were transferred from separate prisons to hospital in recent days as their prolonged refusal of food reached what lawyers describe as a critical stage.
Ahmed, who is being held at Pentonville prison in London, was taken to hospital over the weekend, according to his sister, Shahmina Alam. She said his condition had deteriorated rapidly, with significant weight loss and symptoms that alarmed medical staff and relatives.
Gib, held at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, was hospitalised earlier after 50 days without food, supporters said. Friends close to Gib reported severe weakness and difficulty moving independently before the transfer.
Both detainees are among six people being held across five UK prisons over alleged involvement in break-ins at sites connected to Elbit Systems, an Israeli defence company, and a Royal Air Force base. Prosecutors have brought charges including burglary and violent disorder, which the defendants deny.
Supporters say the hunger strike began as a protest against continued remand detention, prison conditions, and the government’s decision earlier this year to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. The group has been involved in high-profile direct actions targeting companies it accuses of supporting Israel’s military operations.
According to family members, Ahmed has lost a substantial amount of weight since entering custody. His sister said he had entered prison at what doctors described as a healthy weight, but that his weight has dropped steadily during the hunger strike, with losses accelerating in recent days.
She added that Ahmed’s speech sounded slurred during a recent phone call and that he complained of chest pain and other symptoms that prompted medical intervention. This is reportedly the third time he has been hospitalised since beginning the protest.
Friends of Gib said they had raised repeated concerns with prison authorities before the hospital transfer. One supporter said Gib required a wheelchair to attend a medical appointment but initially did not receive assistance, resulting in delays to basic health checks.
“When someone has gone this long without food, every day matters,” said a friend who has been in regular contact with Gib. “There is a real fear they are being left to decline before action is taken.”
Lawyers representing the hunger strikers say their clients’ demands include immediate bail, assurances of fair trial rights, and an end to what they describe as censorship inside prisons, including alleged restrictions on mail, phone calls, and access to reading materials.
They also argue that holding the defendants on remand for extended periods is disproportionate, noting that the trial dates are not expected for many months. UK law generally limits pre-trial detention, though extensions can be granted in complex cases.
Another detainee, Qesser Zuhrah, 20, has also been hospitalised after losing a significant percentage of body weight, according to legal representatives. Two others involved in the protest are reported to be continuing partial or intermittent hunger strikes due to underlying health conditions.
Prison authorities have not issued detailed public statements on the individual cases. There was no immediate comment from the prisons holding Ahmed and Gib when contacted by journalists.
Human rights groups and medical professionals have increasingly voiced concern. Hundreds of doctors have signed letters urging the government to intervene, warning that prolonged hunger strikes can lead to irreversible harm if not addressed through urgent dialogue and medical oversight.
Campaigners have also called on the justice secretary to meet with lawyers and families, arguing that political engagement could help defuse the situation before it becomes fatal. So far, supporters say such requests have not been granted.
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Critics of the government’s approach accuse officials of ignoring the protest and minimising its seriousness. They also claim that national media coverage has been limited compared with past prison hunger strikes in the UK.
The current protest has been described by supporters as the largest coordinated hunger strike in British prisons in decades, drawing comparisons with historic protests by Irish republican prisoners in the early 1980s.
For families, the situation remains deeply uncertain. “We’re watching someone we love waste away, and we don’t know if he’ll survive this,” Ahmed’s sister said. “All we’re asking for is humane treatment and a fair chance in court.”
As hospitalisations continue and pressure mounts, attention is increasingly focused on whether authorities will intervene decisively or allow the protest to run its course inside the prison system.
