Egyptian political prisoners in Israel has urged the Muslim Brotherhood to help secure their release, according to Palestinian prisoners.
In a message sent to the Hamas government in Gaza and published by Palestinian news agency Maan, the prisoners said consecutive Egyptian governments have neglected them despite the peace accords signed with Israel. They hope that the Brotherhood, the largest Egyptian opposition movement, persuade the current government to help free them.
They said they live in extremely difficult conditions and have not been allowed to see their relatives since their arrests.
Riyad al-Ashqar, Gaza's minister of prisoner affairs, said Israel currently has 20 Egyptians in different prisons. Some suffer from ill health, such as Sabah Sweilam Trabeen, who has a serious neurotic diseases, and Nayef Salem, who has a disability.
The prisoners also said that neither their consulates in Eilat and Tel Aviv nor the Egyptian embassy have helped them. They also said the Egyptian government does not allow their relatives to come and see them for alleged security reasons, but it allows Israeli tourists to travel in Egypt.
Zakareya Kafarna is the longest serving Egyptian prisoner in Israel. He began serving his 20-year sentence began in 2002.
