Palestinians held in Israeli jails have been an open ended hunger strike for the second consecutive week to protest mistreatment and push for basic rights.

A mass hunger strike has swept Israeli jails since April 17 in response to the mistreatment and violations endured by the Palestinian detainees.

The number of hunger strikers has hit 1,700, after 100 more detainees from Megiddo jail joined in on Saturday.

Over recent days, sit-in tents, rallies, and e-campaigns, among other protest moves have been staged by pro-Palestine activists, nationwide and overseas, in solidarity with the hunger strikers.

1,200 sick Palestinian detainees, including 21 cancer-stricken patients and 17 others with cardiovascular disorders, have been locked up in Israeli penitentiaries across the occupied territories, among a total of 1,700 Palestinian prisoners.