News|InteractiveHunger strike for 70 days: How the body breaks down without foodMedical estimates put survival without food at 45 to 61 days. Three Palestine Action activists in the UK are now pushing beyond that boundary.

Three British activists from the proscribed group, Palestine Action , are engaged in a hunger strike seeking bail and a fair trial. Heba Muraisi and Kamran Ahmed have been on strike for 70 and 63 days respectively, while Lewie Chiaramello is participating on alternating days due to type 1 diabetes.

Five of the eight protesters have ceased their hunger strikes due to health concerns. All are detained in relation to alleged break-ins at the UK subsidiary of Elbit Systems and a Royal Air Force base. The group denies the charges and demands:

Bail and a fair trial, and reversal of the UK government's designation of Palestine Action as a "terrorist organisation". Closure of all Elbit sites in the UK. An end to alleged censorship within prisons, including mail, phone calls, and books.

All eight activists have been held for over a year without trial, surpassing the UK’s six-month pre-trial detention limit.

Prolonged hunger results in the body breaking down muscle for energy, slowing metabolism, and weakening the immune system. Eventually, vital organs are affected, and when protein stores are depleted, death may occur. The activists have reached or exceeded the estimated survival threshold of 45 to 61 days without food.

Hunger strikes are historically significant as non-violent protest forms, aimed at compelling action through moral pressure. They often highlight issues of imprisonment and injustice. United Nations experts emphasize the state's duty of care towards hunger strikers, ensuring access to medical care and respecting medical ethics.

Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.