Palestinian prisoner ends 140-day hunger strike after deal with Israel

A Palestinian prisoner who was on hunger strike for over 140 days to protest being imprisoned without charge has agreed to end his fast after reaching a deal with Israel to be released next month.

Jawad Boulos, lawyer of prisoner Hisham Abu Hawash, said on Tuesday that Abu Hawash agreed to end the hunger strike after Israel pledged to release him on February 26. 

There was no immediate comment from Israeli officials. 

Abu Hawash, a 40-year-old father of five and a member of the Islamic Jihad group, is the latest of several Palestinians to go on hunger strike to protest being held under “administrative detention,” a controversial measure Israel says is needed for security.

READ MORE: Palestinian prisoner’s hunger strike spotlights administrative detention

Controversial law

Under administrative detention, which is rarely used against Jews, suspects can be held for months or years without being charged or seeing the evidence against them. 

Israel considers Islamic Jihad, which has killed scores of Israelis, to be a terrorist group. 

Israel says the measure is needed to foil attacks and to detain "dangerous militants" without revealing sensitive intelligence sources. 

Israeli and international rights groups say the practice denies individuals the right to due process.

The 2.5 million Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank are subject to Israeli military courts, while Jewish settlers living in the territory are citizens subject to Israel's civilian justice system. 

Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war and the Palestinians want it to form the main part of their future state.

READ MORE: Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel begin hunger strike