Hunger striking Palestinian prisoner Hussam Matar, 30, announced the suspension of his hunger strike on Thursday, August 29, after 90 days of strike. His wife announced that Matar suspended his strike after the prison administration agreed to reconsider his life sentence and to allow him private visits with his family members, which he has been denied. Matar launched his open hunger strike in early June and suffered medical consequences of the strike, including kidney and liver problems. He lost over 32 kg during the hunger strike, was denied visits, and isolated in a small cell.
He is married with two children, Saqr, 7, and Nasrallah, 5. He was arrested on October 19, 2007 and is serving a life sentence.
Fellow striker Abdel Majid Khdairat is suffering from new health difficulties, including a kidney infection, breathing problems, and severe back pain. His strike began on July 1, and he has lost 27 kg since beginning his strike. Israeli prison guards punished Khdairat by not allowing any visits for 6 months and banned him from buying anything at the prison canteen.
