Palestinian leaders decry prisoners' plight

Hunger strike: Death will be disaster

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned on Tuesday that the death of any one of the hundreds of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike in Israel would be a "disaster" and could trigger a backlash that might slip out of control.

"It is very dangerous," Abbas said on a day when the Red Cross urged Israel to transfer to hospital six detainees who it said were close to death after not eating for two months.

"If anybody dies today or tomorrow or after a week it would be a disaster and no one could control the situation," Abbas said.