Doctors fear Palestinian hunger striker has suffered 'brain damage'

Palestinian administrative detainee Mohammed Allan may have suffered brain damage after being on a hunger strike for more than two months, doctors have said.

Barzilai Medical Centre said the brain damage occurred because of nutrient deficiency and it was not clear whether the damage was reversible.

News of his health comes as Israel's top court considers whether to free the Palestinian detainee whose hunger strike has put his life at risk, with authorities fearing his death could worsen tensions in the Occupied Territories.

Lawyers of Allan said they would continue to demand Allan's immediate release after Israeli prosecutors reportedly offered the defence team a compromise.

Allan's health sharply deteriorated over the past hours. A statement issued by the Adala Centre for Human Rights quoting lawyers Hassan Jabareen, Jamil Khatib and Jawad Boulos said Mohammed Allan is currently in a very critical condition.

He emerged from a coma yesterday after Israeli authorities reduced the dosage of sedatives they have admistered to the prisoner hoping to reach an agreement with the lawyer.

	Allan was arrested by Israeli authorities in November 2014 [Getty]

Allan has been offered freedom by Israeli authorities when his administrative detention ends in November.

His defence team turned down the offer. 

Issa Qaraqe, head of the Palestinian Authority Committee for Prisoners Affairs, told Maan news agency that Israeli public prosecutors also pledged to not detain Allan again under administrative detention.

Maan reported that Allan is yet to respond to the offer, but he would go refuse food and water again if Israel did not resolve his case in the next 24-hours.

Allan, 31-years-old, was arrested by Israeli authorities in November 2014.

He has been held without charge or trial since then. Tel Aviv say Allan is being detained for "security reasons" on renewable six-month terms and accused him of links to Islamic Jihad.

The lawyer has been on hunger strike against his detention, since June.

Third intifada

Israeli authorities have attempted to get legal permission to force feed Allan, fearing his death could spark a new wave of unrest in the Occupied Territories.

Israel's opposition leader, Isaac Herzog, said yesterday that a new Palestinian intifada could be looming, during a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Herzog appealed for calm and resumption of peace talks, saying that a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation must be prevented.

"We have agreed that in order to prevent a third intifada we must combat terror on the one hand aggressively, and on the other hand move toward a diplomatic process," he said.