RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Israeli prison authorities moved two prisoners out of solitary confinement on Thursday, the Prisoners Society said.

Mahmoud Issa, who has been in isolation for 13 years, and Waleed Ali were moved out of their cells by Israel's prison administration.

"We applaud the prison administration's decision to release the two detainees out of solitary confinement, in particular Mahmoud Issa," the head of the Prisoners' Society Qadura Fares told Ma'an.

Both men are imprisoned in Ramla jail.

Sixteen prisoners are now being held in solitary confinement, Fares said.

Hundreds of Palestinians in Israeli jails joined a group of hunger-strikers on April 17 protesting detention without charge, solitary confinement, restrictive visiting rights, and limited access to educational materials.

Around 2,000 are now taking part in the strike, rights groups say.

On Wednesday, protesters blocked the entrance to the UN office in Ramallah slamming the world body for its failure to intervene to save the hunger strikers.

A similar protest took place on Thursday outside the offices of the Red Crescent.