Israel releases Palestinian prisoners to mark Ramadan

Israel has released twenty-three Palestinian prisoners to mark the Moslem holy month of Ramadan.

One of those released was a woman member of Islamic Jihad, Etaf Elayan, who won widespread popularity among Palestinians when she staged a forty-day hunger strike to protest against her detention.

She was arrested in October under military laws which allow anyone considered a security risk to be held indefinitely without charge or trial.

Her case was taken up by human rights groups, including Amnesty International.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service