Israel agrees to deal to end Palestinian strike

Palestinians hold photographs of prisoners jailed in Israel, during a rally marking the annual Prisoners' Day, in the West Bank city of Nablus, Tuesday, April 17, 2012. The Israeli prison service said Tuesday hundreds of Palestinian prisoners have launched a hunger strike. / AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh

(AP) JERUSALEM -- An Egyptian official says Israel has agreed to a proposal that would end a mass hunger strike by Palestinians in Israeli jails.

The official says the Egyptian-drafted proposal still needs to be approved by the prisoners.

Some 1,600 Palestinians held in Israeli jails are striking, most for a month, but two men have refused food two for more than 70 days.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said Sunday that under the deal Israel will move prisoners currently in solitary confinement to regular cells.

Israel also will soften its "administrative detention" policy, under which prisoners deemed a security risk can be held without charges.

Israeli officials would not comment.

[euge005]

Held indefinayely with out charges? Is Chaney writing their p[olicy now? I long ago thiought we should stop aid for this brutal military government. tThis is new justification for that. Try the prisoners already or try the criminals that are holding them.