Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails end hunger strike

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territory – Palestinian officials say dozens of prisoners in Israeli jails have ended a hunger strike over phone privileges.

Palestinian Prisoners Affairs Minister Qadri Abu Bakir said on Tuesday that a deal was reached with Israeli authorities to end the eight-day strike in return for phone privileges three times a week.

The strike was triggered after Israel installed cellphone jammers in the desert jail of Ketziot in southern Israel to prevent unmonitored calls. The strike then spread to several other Israeli prisons.

The Israeli Prisons Authority said it installed the jammer to prevent phone calls being made from smuggled mobile devices, saying they posed a security threat. It had no further comment.

Under the new agreement, Palestinian prisoners will be granted three calls a week to their families from land lines.