World Bulletin/News Desk

Turkey has expressed its concern over the mass hunger strike of Palestinian detainees held at Israeli prisons and called on Israel to release the innocent.      

''Turkey is following with great concern the developments regarding the mass hunger strike of nearly 1500 Palestinian detainees protesting the way they are treated at Israeli prisons,'' said the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement on Friday.      

The ministry said Turkey was particularly concerned over the critical health conditions of 7 Palestinians in strike for more than 70 days, who are being held under administrative detention without even knowing the charges attributed to them.      

''In order not to give rise to developments that may hamper regional peace and stability, and in terms of the humanitarian aspect of the matter, it is of great importance for the international community to consider the status of the Palestinian prisoners sensibly and to take necessary steps for the settlement of the issue,'' the ministry said.      

''We expect Israel to act in accordance with its liabilities stemming from international law and to release the innocent Palestinians who are being held under administrative detention as soon as possible,'' the ministry added.      

Nearly 1500 Palestinian prisoners have been on a hunger strike since mid-April to protest against unjust arrest procedures, arbitrary detention and bad prison conditions in Israel.      

Prisoners are mainly protesting Israel's use of administrative detention orders under which individuals can be held without charge or trial when they are suspected of security offences.