Relatives: None of Palestinian detainees in Egypt released

[ 24/02/2011 - 10:41 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- The Cairo authorities did not release any of the Palestinian detainees in Egypt, relatives of those prisoners in the Gaza Strip said in a statement on Wednesday. They said that the first report from Egypt about the release of 14 detainees was not true, as they were released from jail then taken back to it. They added that the reported nine other detainees to be released on Wednesday were among the earlier 14 and were still in custody. The relatives denounced the Egyptian authorities for tampering with their feelings, affirming that 24 detainees in the Egyptian Aqrab jail in Hilwan had entered their fifth day of hunger strike. Egypt: Palestinian prisoners enter 5th day of strike GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- Family members of 24 Palestinian men detained in Egyptian prisons said relatives entered their fifth day of a hunger strike initiated when their promised release was delayed. A statement released by the families said that detainees were political prisoners, and had been promised release under the new Egyptian leadership. Earlier reports, the family members said, that nine Palestinians were released were false, the prisoners had reported, saying the nine were returned to the same prison hours after their apparent release.