THREE female Palestinian political prisoners started an open-ended hunger strike today in response to the brutal crackdown by Israeli authorities.

The Palestinian Prisoners Information Office said that Shorouq Dweiat, Mona Qa’dan, and Marah Bakier were still being held in isolation at Damon prison.

Various Palestinian factions have designated Friday a “day of rage” in solidarity with the prisoners.

“Amid the continuous crackdown on the female prisoners, all the Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails will announce today a series of escalation measures,” the office said.

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine spokesman Maher Mizher described the situation as “a powder-keg that can explode at any time,” warning the Israeli occupying forces that they would be held responsible for their “savage assaults.”

Women have been subjected to beatings, the threat of tear gas in their cells and others have had their hijabs ripped off, lawyers for the prisoners allege.

Electricity has been cut off to the prison wing while family visits and phone calls have been stopped for three months.

The three women in isolation are the prisoners’ elected representatives, however they had been transferred to other jails until they were returned to Damon prison earlier this week.

The National Detainees Movement warned that continued assaults on the women would “explode the situation” inside and outside Israeli prisons.

It called for people to march in solidarity with the prisoners tomorrow, saying: “Female detainees are a red line.”

Earlier this week, the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoners Network called for international solidarity with the detainees and for the International Committee of the Red Cross to take action to secure their safety and wellbeing.