Occupied Jerusalem  Israel's prison service has offered to ease restrictions on Palestinian prisoners in a bid to end a mass hunger strike that has left several detainees close to death, sources said Thursday.

Just under 1,600 Palestinian prisoners are currently refusing food in a wide-ranging protest against solitary confinement, detention without charge and restrictions on family visits, education and other privileges.

The strike has drawn international attention, with the European Union and United Nations expressing concern. Two of those protesting, Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahla, marked their 72nd day without food yesterday.

But an official with Palestinian prisoners' rights group Addameer told AFP yesterday that negotiations between prisoners and the Israel Prison Service (IPS) appeared to be making progress.

"According to what we have learned from the prisoners, there was a meeting last night in Nafha prison (in southern Israel) between the IPS and leaders of the hunger strike," she said, suggesting an end to the action could be imminent.

"There might be a positive response in the next few days."

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the IPS appeared to have "agreed to allow visits for families from Gaza," and to revoke a range of restrictions on prisoners, including a ban on education and other privileges.

Agreement

And she added that an agreement on moving prisoners out of solitary confinement was also on the table.

"On solitary confinement, in the meeting before this one the IPS offered to move all except for three out of 19 prisoners," she said. "The leaders of the strike refused, and said it's all or nothing. After the meeting yesterday, we have indications that IPS might have agreed on it."

IPS spokeswoman Sivan Weizman confirmed the Nafha meeting, saying it was part of an ongoing process of consultations between detainees and a committee examining prison conditions.

"There was a meeting at Nafha prison, but it's not the only one," she said.

"We are holding meetings with the prisoners all the time, talking to them."

But she declined to comment on specific proposals or decisions, saying the discussions were ongoing.