A spokeswoman for Israel's prison service says a mass hunger strike of Palestinian prisoners has ended after 40 days

Nicole Englander said the prisoners declared an end to the strike Saturday morning. She said it came after Israel reached a compromise with the Palestinian Authority and the Red Cross for prisoners to receive an additional family visit each month.

Hundreds of prisoners observed the strike aimed at improving prison conditions.

Israeli officials dismissed it as a bid by strike leader Marwan Barghouti, seen as a potential successor to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, to burnish his political credentials.

Barghouti is serving five life terms after being convicted by an Israeli court of directing two shooting attacks and a bombing that killed five people.