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Israel-Gaza truce shines light on Palestinian hunger striker

IDNA, West Bank (AP) — A Palestinian hunger striker who has refused food for the past 160 days and is wasting away in an Israeli jailhouse infirmary has suddenly been thrust into the center of efforts to firm up a Gaza cease-fire.

Khalil Awawdeh is in the spotlight because the Islamic Jihad group sought his release as part of Egyptian-brokered talks that ended three days of fighting between the Gaza-based militants and Israel over the weekend.

In an attempt to win the militants’ agreement to halt their fire, Egypt had assured them it would also try to win the release of their West Bank leader and of Awawdeh.