London-based pro-Palestine activist Umer Khalid has announced plans to escalate his hunger strike by refusing water. The 22-year-old Palestine Action-linked remand prisoner has already stopped eating for 13 days, receiving only fluids with electrolytes, sugars, and salts.
Khalid hopes that this drastic action will put pressure on the government to engage in talks with him regarding his demands. He believes that taking such extreme measures is necessary due to the harsh conditions he's facing inside prison. Khalid claims that being held in solitary confinement has disrupted his life, stating, "The strike reflects the severity of my demands."
Khalid's list of demands includes immediate bail, an end to alleged censorship in prison, an inquiry into British involvement in Israeli military operations in Gaza, and the release of surveillance footage from Royal Air Force spy flights that flew over Gaza on April 1, 2024. He also claims that he was involved in a protest at RAF Brize Norton in June, where two planes were spray-painted with Palestine Action's logo.
Critics have condemned Khalid's detention as an attempt to silence him and restrict his ability to express dissenting views. Asim Qureshi from the campaign group Cage has described the government's refusal to negotiate on Khalid's demands as "a clear indication of their lack of concern for human life."
Khalid's family is worried about his deteriorating health due to his pre-existing condition, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. His mother expressed her fears, stating that she wakes up with thoughts of Umer and sometimes cries herself to sleep.
As the situation unfolds, it remains unclear when Khalid will begin refusing water, and the potential consequences of this decision are dire – dehydration can set in within days without fluids.
Khalid hopes that this drastic action will put pressure on the government to engage in talks with him regarding his demands. He believes that taking such extreme measures is necessary due to the harsh conditions he's facing inside prison. Khalid claims that being held in solitary confinement has disrupted his life, stating, "The strike reflects the severity of my demands."
Khalid's list of demands includes immediate bail, an end to alleged censorship in prison, an inquiry into British involvement in Israeli military operations in Gaza, and the release of surveillance footage from Royal Air Force spy flights that flew over Gaza on April 1, 2024. He also claims that he was involved in a protest at RAF Brize Norton in June, where two planes were spray-painted with Palestine Action's logo.
Critics have condemned Khalid's detention as an attempt to silence him and restrict his ability to express dissenting views. Asim Qureshi from the campaign group Cage has described the government's refusal to negotiate on Khalid's demands as "a clear indication of their lack of concern for human life."
Khalid's family is worried about his deteriorating health due to his pre-existing condition, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. His mother expressed her fears, stating that she wakes up with thoughts of Umer and sometimes cries herself to sleep.
As the situation unfolds, it remains unclear when Khalid will begin refusing water, and the potential consequences of this decision are dire – dehydration can set in within days without fluids.
he's already been on hunger strike for 13 days and now wants to take it to the next level by not drinking water... i think the government needs to take action ASAP 
they're putting his life at risk, like literally 
what kind of pressure does he need to put on them to get those demands met? 
it's not like he's asking for a lot, just some basic human rights and freedom... i hope his family can handle the stress of this situation, ugh 
This guy's life is a total mess. 13 days without food and now he's planning to starve himself even more? He's got a pre-existing condition and his family's worried sick... what if he doesn't make it out of this? And for what? So he can get some attention from the government about his 'demands'? 
I mean, isn't it just easier to negotiate in good health? He's literally playing with fire here. His family must be going through a nightmare with him refusing water... dehydration is super serious and could be fatal. This whole situation just feels really tragic. 
. I mean, Umer Khalid's been through enough already, stuck in prison for being a pro-Palestine activist 
. Thirteen days without food is crazy 
, and now he's planning to go even further by refusing water 
? It's not like it's going to make a difference in the grand scheme of things 
.
, but at what cost? Khalid's family is clearly worried about his health, and that's totally valid 
. His condition already sounds pretty rough with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 
, and now he's putting himself at risk of dehydration 
.
, but they need to act fast 
. This hunger strike and refusal of water is going to have serious consequences 
. I just hope Khalid's family gets some support and his loved ones stay strong 
during this difficult time 
.
. His family is right to be scared 
.
. Like, I get that people wanna make a statement, but this is taking it to a whole new level, fam 
What's next, refusing oxygen? It's one thing to take a stand for what you believe in, but not at the cost of your own life, bruv 
. And can't they just negotiate with him like a normal human being? 
Days, guys! It's like he's playing with fire, but you can't blame the guy for wanting to fight back against what feels like an unjust system 
. Let's hope that the government listens to Umer's demands and gives him some answers soon 
.
. It's crazy how the government is being so harsh on him, just 'cause he's speaking out about what he believes in 
.