Filmmaker and activist Mi Hoa Lee began a dry hunger strike this Friday in Plaça de Catalunya in Barcelona. The protest seeks to raise awareness about the detention of Saif Abukeshek and Thiago Ávila, who remain held in an Israeli prison and are themselves fasting.
Mi Hoa Lee has gone more than 48 hours without drinking water to demand the release of those detained. The activist considers this action to be a form of external resistance and direct support from Catalan territory.
Institutional silence on Gaza motivates protest
Lee denounces what she describes as a complicit silence from institutions regarding the situation in Gaza. For the filmmaker, putting one's body in public spaces is an effective way to support those suffering from the conflict.
"We have to make a cry for help" - Mi Hoa Lee, filmmaker and activist
The activist describes the situation of the two detained as an illegal kidnapping. She underlines that Saif Abukeshek's life is in real danger due to the lack of fluid intake during these days.
Return after participation in the Global Sumud Flotilla
Mi Hoa Lee landed again in Barcelona after participating for weeks in the Global Sumud Flotilla. She had departed from the Catalan capital on April 15 and made several stops, including days of waiting in Crete, before returning.
This initiative marks the second time the activist has called a hunger strike in the Catalan capital. In August, she already staged a fast in the same Plaça de Catalunya to denounce the humanitarian crisis resulting from Israel's attacks.