Ma’an report: al-Barq to be deported to Egypt

Please note that this report is not confirmed and no agreements have been reported as concluded:

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities have decided to deport hunger-striking prisoner Samer al-Barq to Egypt, a PA official said Sunday.

Minister of Prisoners Affairs Issa Qaraqe told Ma’an that Israel agreed to al-Barq’s request to be deported to the country.

No date has been set for the arrangement to be carried out, Qaraqe added, noting that al-Barq will not end his hunger strike action until the agreement is finalized.

According to the PA minister, Israel had previously agreed to deport al-Barq but a host country could not be found.

The hunger striking detainee is married to a Pakistani citizen and had previously expressed a desire to be released to the country, Qaraqe added.

Al-Barq is on his 118th day of renewed hunger strike. He has been detained without charge or trial since July 2010.

He ended a month-long hunger strike in May after Israel agreed to address the issue of administrative detention and resumed his hunger strike a week later when Israel renewed his detention without charge or trial.