Three prisoners linked to Palestine Action have ended their hunger strike after Elbit Systems, an Israeli arms company, lost out on a UK contract worth £2 billion.

As RTÉ reports, Kamran Ahmed, Heba Muraisi and Lewie Chiaramello began the process of re-feeding after ending their hunger strike yesterday. Muriasi’s hunger strike lasted 73 days, while Ahmed was on hunger strike for 66 days. Chiaramello, who has Type 1 diabetes entered the 52nd day of an alternate hunger strike yesterday.

Four other prisoners linked to Palestine-Action – Teuta Hoxha, Jon Cink, Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib – ended their hunger strike last month. The protestors have been detained on remand while awaiting trial for alleged break-ins or criminal damage.

In addition to the UK ceasing trade with Elbit, the hunger strikers’ demands included being released on bail, a fair trial and the lifting of the designation of Palestine Action as a terrorist group.

In a post on Instagram, Prisoners For Palestine cited Elbit Systems’ failure to secure a UK contract as the reason for the end of the hunger strike.

“The abrupt cancellation of this deal is a resounding victory for the hunger strikers, who resisted with their incarcerated bodies in order to shed light on the role of Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer in the colonisation and occupation of Palestine,” the group wrote.

Prisoners For Palestine went on to say that the hunger strikers “allowed those of us who were fearful of state repression to be brave – to go out once again onto the streets and fight for justice.”

Via Prisoners for Palestine’s Instagram post, Chiaramello said the denial of Elbit’s UK contract was a “time for celebration”.

“We do this because of Palestine, because we’ve been inspired, because we’ve been empowered to take action and to try to realise our dreams for a free Palestine, for an emancipated world,” he said.