Three individuals participating in a hunger strike led by Palestine Action have decided to end their protest after achieving one of their main objectives. Kamran Ahmed, Heba Muraisi, and Lewie Chiaramello have called off their 73-day hunger strike following the revelation that defense contractor Elbit Systems UK has been denied a significant government contract worth £2 billion, which would have involved training 60,000 British troops annually.
Heba Muraisi, aged 31, had endured 73 days without food and was being held at HMP New Hall, more than 200 miles away from her loved ones. Her health had deteriorated rapidly in recent days, leading to discussions among Members of Parliament about potentially relocating her to HMP Bronzefield for closer proximity to her family.
Kamran Ahmed, who had gone without food for 66 days and had been hospitalized multiple times, was diagnosed with bradycardia. Expressing disappointment, his sister criticized the government, particularly Prime Minister Keir Starmer, for not intervening given his background as a former human rights lawyer.
Lewie Chiaramello, who has type 1 diabetes, had been on a food strike every other day as part of the hunger strike campaign. Additionally, the Mirror reported that Teuta Hoxha, another hunger striker who had ended her 58-day protest, was hospitalized due to complications related to re-feeding syndrome, a severe condition that can arise after prolonged periods of fasting.
Elbit Systems UK, a subsidiary of Israel’s largest arms manufacturer, has been a target for activists from Palestine Action due to its involvement in producing weaponry used against Palestinian civilians in Gaza. The company had been leading one of two consortiums competing for the £2 billion contract to train soldiers for combat, but the Ministry of Defence ultimately chose the consortium led by Raytheon UK, a subsidiary of the US defense corporation, over Elbit Systems UK.
According to sources cited by The Times, the decision to select Raytheon UK was made after a thorough evaluation process, with the government deeming them a more suitable candidate without providing further details.