He initially went on hunger strike in late November to protest the torture and ill-treatment he said he faced in Israeli custody, but his protest quickly developed into another bid to challenge Israel’s use of administrative detention – internment without trial or charge.
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Under the new terms of his detention, al-Qiq will also be allowed visits from his family, including his wife, two children, and father.
A Palestinian journalist accused by Israel of being a Hamas activist and held without charge has agreed to end his three-month long hunger strike, his family and lawyers said on Friday.
“We will in the coming hours be next to him to actually end this hunger strike”, she said, adding that his first sustenance would be minerals administered intravenously.
But the Israeli army was less categorical regarding his release.
Israel says the violence is fueled by a Palestinian campaign of incitement, compounded on social media sites that glorify and encourage attacks. “On that date, the situation will be examined to determine whether there is new information or security circumstances which require extending detention”.
Palestinian factions and officials hailed the deal reached on Friday as “a victory against Israel’s administrative detention policy”.
The EU, UN and rights groups had expressed concern over the case.
Maale Adumim, east of Jerusalem, has a population of about 36,000 and is one of the largest Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The Israeli rights group B’tselem says there were 584 Palestinians held under the procedure at the end of 2015.
He was jailed for a month in 2003 and then for 13 months in 2004 for Hamas-related activities.
The statement said that in return, al-Qiq will continue his medical treatment in the Israeli hospital to which he was transferred, and to be taken back the Israeli prison facility (Nafha) till his detention period was over.
Earlier this month the Israeli Supreme court suspended Qiq’s detention order saying that due to his medical condition he posed no imminent threat.
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Palestinian prisoner Mohammed Allan ended a two-month hunger strike in August a year ago and was freed in November.
