Jailed Palestinian footballer moves to end hunger strike

A Palestinian footballer, jailed in Israel without trial under a special law, has taken his first steps towards ending an 83-day hunger strike, Palestinian officials and doctors for Human Rights - Israel (PHRI) said yesterday. Mahmoud al-Sarsak, 25, who began fasting on March 19, had resumed drinking milk, said Issa Qarari, Palestinian minister for prisoners’ affairs. Anat Litvin of PHRI said Sarsak, who is from the Rafah refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, began drinking milk after meeting Israeli officials late Sunday. The Palestinian Prisoners Club, an organisation looking after the welfare of Palestinians in Israeli jails, said it was possible that Sarsak would be released early July.