Hunger striking Palestinian detainee Samer Issawi has stopped drinking water in an escalation of his 223-day protest his lawyer was quoted by Ma’an as saying on Tuesday.

Hunger striking Palestinian detainee Samer Issawi has stopped drinking water in an escalation of his 223-day protest; his lawyer was quoted by Ma’an as saying on Tuesday.

Jawad Bulous stated that “Issawi started refusing all liquid on Monday in protest at having to wear ankle restraints and being shackled to his hospital bed.”

“He is required to keep his restraints on even when using the bathroom,” Bulous further told the agency, indicating that “keeping him tied to the bed is inhumane and undignified.”

Issawi’s lawyer added that when he visited Issawi's room he “found seven Israeli prison officers eating food to deliberately torment Issawi.”

Doctors have tried to convince Issawi to drink water and are afraid he may die at any moment as his blood pressure is very low, Bulous added.