A brutal hunger strike by Palestine Action activists in UK jails has dragged on for 56 days. Four prisoners remain on strike despite dire health warnings. One has lost the ability to speak. Another faints whenever they try to stand.
Prisoners Suffering As Protest Continues
The campaign group Prisoners for Palestine revealed the strikers are Teuta Hoxha, Heba Muraisi, Kamran Ahmed, and Lewie Chiaramello. All are locked up across UK prisons and awaiting trial.
Heba Muraisi, held at HMP New Hall, West Yorkshire, said she feels “weaker as each day passes” with “bruising on her arm” and “constant body ache.” She added, “I can no longer lie on my side as it hurts my face. I am losing the ability to form sentences and struggling to maintain conversation.”
Teuta Hoxha, 29, at HMP Peterborough, is “virtually bedridden” and suffers dizzy spells and brain fog. She can’t stand without blacking out, the group stated.
Protesters Hospitalised Amid Allegations of Ambulance Delay
Two other activists, Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib, quit their strike after 48 days due to serious health decline and were hospitalised at HMP Bronzefield, Surrey.
Allegations emerged that MS Zuhrah was denied an ambulance, sparking protests outside Bronzefield with Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana showing solidarity. The Ministry of Justice denies any mistreatment.
Legal Battle and Harsh Demands as Christmas Approaches
The eight are charged with break-ins at Elbit Systems UK and RAF Brize Norton, accusing the group of sabotage involving red paint on RAF planes. Their earliest trial date is May 2026.
On Tuesday, the four still striking demanded Heba Muraisi be moved back to Bronzefield and called for immediate bail and free, unsupervised communication rights.
A Prisoners for Palestine spokesperson said: “Unlike prison guards who lock up prisoners early to go home for Christmas dinner, the hunger strikers get no Christmas break. Like Gaza’s Christians freezing under settler-colonial terror, these strikers tell us, ‘Don’t forget Palestine at Christmas.’ They demand a meeting with the British government on their behalf.”
Lawyers warn the prisoners face potential death if their demands are ignored. They have launched legal action against the UK government for “abandoning its own prison safety policy framework.” Multiple letters to Justice Secretary David Lammy have gone unanswered.
Government Stands Firm Against Meeting Protesters
James Timpson, Minister for Prisons, told The Independent that hunger strikes are a grim but familiar challenge. He said the government’s systems are “robust” and firmly resist any bargaining with prisoners or their reps.
The Ministry of Justice stressed ministers won’t intervene in individual prison cases, citing risks to ongoing legal processes and judicial independence. Healthcare decisions rest with NHS professionals, they added.
An HMP Bronzefield spokesperson said all prisoners are managed within strict government policies and security assessments.
Countdown to Christmas, But No End in Sight
The protest began mid-November 2025. Despite hospitalization of some strikers, the others dig in, risking their lives to shine a spotlight on the Palestinian cause – and demanding urgent official action before it’s too late.
