Sixty-three Palestinian prisoners in Israel have agreed to end their two-month hunger strike, Palestinian Prisoners Affairs Minister Shawqi Eissa announced yesterday.

Mr Eissa said they had agreed to suspend their protest over so-called administrative detention — holding prisoners without charge or trial — after a deal was reached late on Tuesday night.

But the agreement contained no promise to end the practice.

Instead, hunger-strikers will be returned to their original prisons — many had been moved around or kept in isolation as punishment.

Palestinian Prisoners Club’s Qadura Fares said it was a “modest step forward” rather than a “huge victory.”

Chances of negotiating an end to the protests had seemed slim after three Israeli settlers disappeared a fortnight ago in the West Bank and Israel launched a hyperbolic bid to find them.

Hundreds of Palestinians have been rounded up, including nearly 300 Hamas activists.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had “unequivocal” proof the group was behind the abductions, but did not substantiate the claim.

Mr Fares said it had been difficult to mobilise “the Palestinian street” behind the hunger-strike because of the Israeli clampdown.

An Israeli prison official said the deal was also related to a Knesset Bill allowing the force-feeding of hunger-strikers.

nFrance warned its citizens yesterday not to invest in Israeli settlements because they are illegal under international law.

Britain and Germany have already issued similar warnings while Italy and Spain are expected to do the same soon following faltering Middle East peace talks.