The number of hunger-striking Palestinians in Israeli jails has almost doubled to 2,900 in the week since the protest was launched, the Prisons Service said today.
But Israel vowed not to budge on the prisoners' demands that wardens stop strip searches, allow more frequent family visits, improve sanitation and install public telephones.
Israeli Prison Services spokeswoman
Seen by Palestinians as symbols of resistance to Israeli occupation, some 1,500 inmates began refusing food on August 15th.
Israeli officials called the liquids-only fast a ploy by prisoners to secure easier communication with militant groups spearheading a four-year-old revolt and refused to negotiate.
One minister said he did not care if they starved to death.
"There are now around 2,900 prisoners taking part in the protest, but we believe it is waning," a Prisons Service spokeswoman said. "The hunger strike is being unevenly observed at ten of our facilities. Around 40 prisoners have broken it."
Palestinian officials said about 3,200 prisoners had joined the hunger strike. About 7,000 Palestinians, excluding common criminals, are held in Israeli jails.
A Palestinian lobby group said some of the inmates were in critical condition and accused the Prisons Service of withholding medical treatment.
"Prisoners are in real danger," the Palestinian Prisoners Club said in a statement, calling on Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority to push harder for the cause of the strikers.
Israel denied withholding treatment.
"Doctors conduct regular examinations of all the striking inmates," the Prisons Service spokeswoman said. "Several inmates admitted themselves to prison clinics in what was clearly an attempt to seek legitimacy for them breaking the hunger strike."
No prisoners were yet in a critical condition, she added.
The Prisons Service has withheld privileges from the prisoners since the start of the hunger strike and has said it might barbecue meat outside their cells to break their spirits.
"They even confiscated pillows," said Mr Issa Qaraqe, director of the Prisoners Club.
Israeli television broadcast footage it said was filmed through a spy-hole and showed uprising leader Marwan Barghouthi, the most high-profile prisoner, eating in his cell. Mr Qaraqe said Barghouthi only joined the strike last Wednesday.