in the jail and the footl was bad. The N€blus prlson had been opened tteo rnonthsearlier. A spokesman for tbe prisons Service, Mr. Shimon lGlka, flatly denied theallegations of poor det€ntion conditions in lGblus and described the strike as a "provocation by anti-Israell elenents". On 30 Septeober 1984, lt was reported thatfamilies of the hunger-strikers rrere holding a Blt-in strike outside the Red Crossoffices ln Eas! Jerusalem. Slt-in strtkes in synpathy with the hunger-strlkersrere also reported in Jenin, Tl'rlkar$ and Ramallah. At a press conference held on 30 september 1984 by the trLeague for Human and Civil Rightsi, !!16. I€nger 6aid that the bunger strike rras not a political action. Mr. Joseph Elgazi said that condltions in the l,lablus jall were intolerable and far worse than ln many otherprisons in Israel. On I October 1984, the new Police Minister, llr. Halm Bar-Lev,visited the I'tablug prison and met lrlth representatives of Che prisoners. He told them that he nould act, together with the prison Service Conmissioner, to improve what should be l mproved and, in particular, the overcrosdetl conditlons in the cells on condition that the prisoners stop their strike. (Hareretz, 24,26,30 SeptemberA/40 /702 English Page 96 and l, 2 october f984r {E!9!9f.99-!S!, 30 sePteober and r october 19841 l.ta'ariv, I and 2 october 1984) 286. It waa reported on 4 October 1984 that 1ntrate6 ln two security prlsons at Ashkelon a nal at Nafha had gone on hunger strlke ln support of the strikers in Nablus. The prlsonerEt tlEst acute complalnt, accordlng to larryer llbed Assali, eas the extreoely crorrded conditions.in the cellst e.g. a roon mea6urlng 32 square metres was occupled by l8 prlsoners antl part of that r@n saa taken up by a shower antl latrine. (gggg.Ig_.Eg$,4 october 1984) 287. Shatta prison authorities reportedly refused p€rmisslon for Advoca te Ibrahim Reshayed to meet three pol,ltlcal prlsonere, clalmlng that the Prison was
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing a specific event and its related issues, specifically a hunger strike by prisoners in an Israeli prison, and the response of the prison authorities and the government. The text highlights the poor conditions in the prison, including overcrowding and lack of basic amenities, and the impact of the hunger strike on the prisoners and their families. The text also mentions the involvement of human rights organizations and the international community in the issue.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, Health