The European Union (EU) is closely following the rapidly deteriorating health condition of the Palestinian detainee Mahar al-Akhras as he continues the hunger strike since July to protest his administrative detention without formal charges in Israel, said the EU spokesman Peter Stano in a statement today.

"Regardless of the allegations against Mr. Al-Akhras, the European Union reiterates its long-standing concerns about the extensive use by Israel of administrative detention without formal charges," Stano added in the statement.

“Around 350 Palestinians are currently being held in administrative detention. Detainees have the right to be informed about the charges underlying any detention and be subject to a fair trial,” he underscored.

The European Union called on Israel to fully respect international humanitarian law as well as its human rights obligations towards all detainees, also in light of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and to do all it can to preserve the health of al-Akhras in the continued handling of this case.

Maher al-Akhras, 49, a father of six children, has been on hunger strike for 96 days, protesting his administrative detention in the Israeli jail.

He was detained on July 27, 2020, and has been sentenced to four months in administrative detention without charge or trial.