Hunger strike for hostages: Four strikers fasting for over 20 days

A hunger strike for the hostages continued this week, with four of the protesters fasting for over 20 days now. Eighteen people are currently participating in the protest, according to organizers.

The hunger strikers were joined by ten doctors from the Gaza border region, who closed their clinics in protest, organizers added.

“We are in a kind of [relay] race, where some stop, others start, and more people join,” said Rabbi Avidan Freedman, who is one of the participants.

Many of those striking have gathered outside the Knesset, with some sleeping there and others coming and going in rotation.

The hunger strike was initiated by activist Orna Shimoni, an 83-year-old bereaved mother whose son, Eyal, was killed in action in the First Lebanon War. Shimoni completed a three-day hunger strike, inspiring others to join her.

Joining in

Dr. Oren Eran, who is participating in the strike, said, “As a family physician, I call on all Israeli citizens to help us save the hostages.”

Freedman said the demand of the strike is to bring all of the hostages home, “for all of those who are alive, back to their lives alive, and for all of those who are dead, for proper burial.

“The most realistic way to do that is by signing a deal to bring them home now and not to waste any more time,” he added.

“We do not want a repeat scenario in which many hostages who were alive came back home in caskets.”