Al Jazeera reports: An Israeli military court has rejected the appeal of a Palestinian woman on hunger strike for 39 days.

“The Israeli military court rejected the appeal and now we will go to the High Court,” lawyer Jawad Bulus said, adding that his client Hana Shalabi “will continue her hunger strike”.

Shalabi was detained on February 16, and a military court initially ordered her held for six months. That was later reduced to four months – the decision she unsuccessfully appealed.

The Israeli army has said the 30-year-old is “a global jihad-affiliated operative” and was re-arrested on suspicion that she “posed a threat to the area”. But no charges have been filed against her and no specific allegations have been made public.

Inspired by Palestinian prisoner Khader Adnan, who pressured Israel with a 66-day hunger strike, a growing number of his fellow detainees are launching similar protests.

The tactic appears to be spreading among the thousands of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, who see themselves battling for their rights with the only weapon they have: “empty stomachs”.