Three Egyptians at the Nafha al-Sahrawi Prison in Israel have begun an open-ended hunger strike to press for their release.
The Palestinian POW Club said in a statement published by Al-Masry Al-Youm on Saturday that the prisoners are Fawzy Sawarka and Foreih Barakat — both sentenced to 10 years in prison — and Mohamed al-Sayed, sentenced to 13 years.
It was not clear when the three were detained, but POW Club sources said the prisoners were likely arrested due to their activities along the Egyptian-Israeli borders.
Amany Sarahna, media official at the POW Club, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the prisoners’ lawyer was unable to visit them due to the Jewish Passover holiday, which ends on Monday.
She added that these prisoners are called “prisoners of patrols” and are usually arrested due to activities at the borders.
The prisoners are calling on the Egyptian authorities to intervene on behalf of them and other Egyptian prisoners, particularly as Egypt and Israel recently made a prisoner swap deal, she said.
The prisoners said their strike will continue until they are released along with all Egyptian prisoners in Israeli prisons.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
