The lawyer of the Palestinian Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority, Karim Ajwa, stated that the recaptured Palestinian prisoner, Muhammad Ardah, began on Monday an open-ended hunger strike, in protest against the harsh conditions he is facing in the Ashkelon Prison and the punitive measures taken against him.

Ardah was transferred to Ashkelon Prison seven days ago.

In a press statement, Ajwa said that new punitive measures were imposed on Ardah following an internal hearing that was held at the prison.

The new measures include keeping him in isolation for 14 days without any personal belongings, banning him from family visits and buying essentials from the canteen for two months, as well as imposing financial fines on him.

Ardah told the lawyer that he is being isolated without his blanket and a pillow in a small, dirty, and unventilated cell.

Ardah has not been able to take a shower for days as he is being monitored around the clock by surveillance cameras.

Muhammad Ardah and Zakaria Zubeidi were recaptured by the Israeli Occupation on Sept. 11. This came hours after the Israeli Occupation arrested Yaqoub Qadri and Mahmoud Arda.

Sept. 19, the Israeli Occupation announced the arrest of the last two Palestinian escapees who managed to escape from Gilboa prison- Ayham Kamamji and Monadel Nafe’at.

Sept. 6, six Palestinians escaped Israeli Occupation Gilboa prison in the north of the country by digging the tunnel.

Gilboa prison is considered one of Israeli Occupation Is most secure facilities, due to the heavy fortification and the security procedures followed inside it.