Brit prisoner, 31, ‘loses means to talk’ after ravenous herself for almost two months
A British activist detained without conviction is in critical condition after nearly two months on hunger strike, as part of the largest coordinated protest of its kind in British prisons
A British woman who has been on hunger strike for nearly two months while in prison is now in critical danger, with her health said to be rapidly deteriorating.
The activist has been said to be in “critical danger” as her demands, including the right to a fair trial, remain unmet by authorities.
Heba Muraisi has starved herself for 57 days. The 31-year-old has reportedly been protesting her prolonged detention without conviction, prison conditions (including censorship), lack of fair trial and immediate bail, the proscription of Palestine Action, and to call for the closure of Elbit Systems, a leading Israeli defense company.
She is one of eight individuals being detained in prison for their alleged involvement in “direct action” protests organised by Palestine Action, all of whom began a hunger strike in November. Of the original group, three are reportedly still refusing food, with Muraisi now being the longest-standing participant in the strike.
On Day 53 of her hunger strike, Muraisi described the severe physical impact of more than six weeks without food in a phone call released by UK-based advocacy group Prisoners for Palestine. She shared that she feels “weaker as each day passes” and experiences “a constant body ache”, along with bruising on her arms, hands, and fingers from blood tests, as well as dizziness, headaches, and nausea, Metro reported.
“Even though I’m immensely proud of my body’s resilience and capability, I can feel myself [getting] weaker as each day passes,” she said. “When I lay down at night now I can’t lay on my side because it hurts my face.”
The recording, marked by long pauses, captured her saying, “Sometimes I struggle to construct sentences, sometimes I struggle to maintain conversation.” Four other prisoners have ended their hunger strikes due to health concerns, while another, who has Type 1 Diabetes, is continuing but only on alternate days.
Despite the physical toll, Muraisi said, “Other than the physical effects of it, mentally I’m still doing well, still headstrong, willpower is still there, it hasn’t shifted in the slightest.”
James Smith, an A&E doctor and epidemiologist at University College London who has been assisting the hunger strikers, told Metro that they have now entered a critical and unpredictable stage regarding their health. He warned that even if the prisoners survive, they may suffer lasting harm: “You can do damage to the kidneys, the liver, the pancreas, the heart, and of course, to the entirety of the musculature, and there’s no guarantee that all of those things are reversible.”
According to Smith, the risk of something “tragic” occurring is now ever-present, as he has seen in other cases of acute malnutrition, where “very sudden and rapid changes that can be fatal” may happen at any moment.
Muraisi is currently incarcerated at HMP New Hall after being moved from HMP Bronzefield/ This transfer was reportedly deemed “unjust” by campaigners, as it places her too far from her family in Brent for regular visits.
She was arrested in November 2024 in connection with her alleged involvement in a raid on Elbit Systems in Bristol, an Israeli arms manufacturer, where the damage reportedly exceeded £1 million. With her trial not scheduled until June next year, she will have spent nearly two years behind bars without a conviction, a situation that has fueled the hunger strikes among activists.
In a previous statement shared via Prisoners for Palestine, Muraisi said: “I want to make it abundantly clear that this is not about dying, because unlike the enemy I love life, and my love for life, for people, is the reason why I have been incarcerated for 349 days now.”
What is the Palestine Action hunger strike ?
It is an ongoing protest by activists affiliated with the group Palestine Action who are currently held on remand (awaiting trial) in UK prisons. As of late December 2025, the strike is considered the largest coordinated protest of its kind in British prisons since the 1981 Irish republican hunger strikes.
Core objectives and demands
Immediate bail: Granting release to activists held on remand for Palestine-related protests, many of whom have been detained for over a year, well beyond the standard six-month pre-trial limit.
De-proscription of Palestine Action: Overturning the government’s July 2025 decision to designate Palestine Action as a “terrorist organisation” under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Right to a fair trial: Ensuring all documents related to communications between the British and Israeli states regarding the activists are released.
End to prison censorship: Stopping the alleged withholding of mail, books, and phone calls, and lifting “non-association orders” that prevent the activists from speaking to one another.
Shutdown of Elbit Systems: Ending all UK-based operations and government contracts with the Israeli weapons manufacturer.
Timeline
The strike began on November 2, 2025, the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration. Initially, eight prisoners were involved.
They were arrested for direct actions, including a raid on Elbit Systems’ Filton site in August 2024 and an incident at RAF Brize Norton in June 2025. Four activists remain on strike: Heba Muraisi, Teuta Hoxha, Kamran Ahmed, and Lewie Chiaramello (who is diabetic and fasts intermittently).
Four others, including Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib (Amy Gardiner-Gibson), have recently ended or paused their strikes due to critical health deterioration, including hospitalisation. Medical professionals and UN experts have warned that several strikers are at risk of death or permanent organ failure.
Government and public response
Over 60 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion urging government intervention. High-profile activists, including Greta Thunberg, have been arrested while protesting in solidarity with the strikers.
UN human rights experts have reminded the UK of its “heightened duty of care” and urged for immediate medical and legal resolution to prevent preventable deaths in custody.
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