Protesters claimed they were lobbying against Israel's administrative detention policy, which sees Palestinians being imprisoned for long periods without a specific charge or trial - a measure that has been in place since the 1980s.
Opinion polls suggest Barghouti, who is serving multiple life terms for his role in a violent Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation, is the top contender to succeed Mr Abbas.
However, Barghouti's initiative is in stark contrast to the recent perceived lack of leadership of Mr Abbas, who has so far failed to find a credible strategy to articulate since Donald Trump's election to the USA presidency.
Palestinians are holding rallies and protests across the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip in solidarity with the prisoners.
They also said that the Israeli authorities have declared a state of emergency in all prisons since the hunger strike started, Monday, under the pretext that the detainees "will not be able to walk or move to the visitation rooms and sections".
As many as 1.500 prisoners could be participating in the strikes, which have been planned to coincide with the annual Palestinian Prisoners Day.
One cage held two Palestinians in Israeli prison uniform. Palestinian prisoners and detainees have suffered from torture, inhumane and degrading treatment and medical negligence.
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According to News Chief, the Palestinian prisoners are demanding certain rights as part of their condition to end their strike.
"Prisoners who decide to strike will face serious consequences", the Prison Service said in a statement, adding that "strikes and protests are illegal activities and will face unwavering penalisation".
While hunger strikes by Palestinian prisoners are not uncommon, the scale of this movement is unusual.
"It is to be emphasised that the [prison service] does not negotiate with prisoners", he said. The strikers' immediate demands included better conditions and more contact with relatives.
The Palestinian Committee of Prisoners Affairs, the Palestinian Prisoner's Society and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics issued a joint statement on Saturday ahead of Palestinian Prisoners Day, outlining the history of the mass imprisonment of Palestinian activists.
Top Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi called on the worldwide community to bring an end to the "inhumane" treatment of Palestinian prisoners, which she said was in violation of the Geneva Convention.
Israeli public radio reported that Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan has ordered intervention units to be put on standby and a field hospital to be set up outside one prison to avoid having to take sick prisoners to civilian hospitals.
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