Three activists affiliated with the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action have called off their hunger strike in prison, following a significant government decision to withhold a major defence contract from an Israeli arms company.
Contract Decision Spurs End to Dangerous Protest
The pivotal moment came when the UK Ministry of Defence opted not to award a substantial £2 billion contract to Elbit Systems UK, a subsidiary of the Israeli arms manufacturer. The contract would have involved the company training up to 60,000 British troops annually. This decision fulfilled a primary demand of the protesters, who had campaigned for the shutdown of Elbit's UK operations.
The group Prisoners for Palestine announced the end of the action late on Wednesday. They highlighted that Elbit Systems UK had secured more than ten public contracts since 2012, making this MoD choice a notable shift in official policy. Alongside the three who were actively refusing food, a further four detainees—Teuta Hoxha, Jon Cink, Qesser Zuhrah, and Amu Gib—who had previously paused their strikes, confirmed they would not resume them.
Health Fears and Landmark Hunger Strike
Concerns for the protesters' welfare had escalated considerably. Heba Muraisi, 31, was on what would have been her 73rd day without food. This matched the duration survived by Irish republican hunger striker Kieran Doherty, who later died during the 1981 protests. The earliest death in that historical episode occurred after 46 days, underscoring the severe risks faced by the prisoners.
Another striker, Kamran Ahmed, 28, would have reached day 66, while Lewie Chiaramello, 22, who has type 1 diabetes and was fasting on alternate days, would have been on day 46. All have now ceased their refusal of food. The prisoners have begun the delicate process of refeeding under medical supervision, a phase that carries its own dangers if not managed correctly.
Secondary Demands and Ongoing Action
The campaign also secured progress on other fronts. Muraisi's transfer back to HMP Bronzefield in Surrey from HMP New Hall in Wakefield—where she had been held hundreds of miles from her support network—was accepted. This relocation was another key demand.
Furthermore, the group reported an easing of mail censorship, with some prisoners receiving bundles of previously withheld correspondence and an apology for one letter delayed by six months. Books on Gaza and feminism, long awaited, were also reportedly delivered.
However, the protest is not entirely over. Umar Khalid, 22, who resumed his hunger strike last Saturday, is continuing to refuse food, according to sources.
A "Landmark Moment of Defiance"
Prisoners for Palestine hailed the strike as a watershed. They stated it had "exposed to the world Britain has political prisoners in service of a foreign genocidal regime." The group also claimed a surge in support, with 500 people recently pledging to take direct action—a figure they say surpasses the total engaged over Palestine Action's entire five-year campaign, which previously forced the closure of four Israeli weapons factories.
Activist Amu Gib struck a defiant note, stating: "We have never trusted the government with our lives, and we will not start now. We will be the ones to decide how we give our lives to justice and liberation."
The episode underscores the intense domestic pressure surrounding UK commercial ties with Israeli defence firms amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, positioning the hunger strike as a focal point for activist strategy and government response.
