Palestinians mark Prisoners' Day

Gaza Strip: Palestinians across the West Bank and Gaza Strip were on Tuesday to mark Prisoners' Day in solidarity with the thousands of Palestinians in Israeli jails.

Throughout the day, Palestinians will attend marches and rallies in all the main towns and cities to remember 4,700 prisoners being held by Israel.

This year's Prisoners' Day is likely to be remembered as symbolic as it is also the day when Israel will release Khader Adnan, an Islamic Jihad prisoner who went on hunger strike for a record 66 days in protest at being held without charge.

Adnan, whose nearly 10-week fast turned him into a national hero, will be freed outside Ofer prison near the West Bank city of Ramallah at 1300 GMT, his family said.

It is also the day when 1,600 Palestinian prisoners are to begin an open-ended hunger strike, prisoners minister Issa Qaraqaa told AFP this week.

AFP