Puerto Rico ? A hunger strike at the U.S. prison for terror suspects in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has grown to its largest point since detainees began their latest protest more than a month ago, a military official said Thursday.

After 11 detainees joined the protest overnight, there are now 131 taking part in the hunger strike, said Maj. Jeff Weir, a spokesman for the detention center.

Twenty-one of the striking prisoners were hospitalized in stable condition at the prison medical clinic, including 20 who were being tube-fed, Weir said.

The military considers a hunger strike to be a form of suicide and Weir said that one prisoner was restrained after he resisted having a feeding tube inserted.

“No facility in the U.S., and hopefully the world, is going to let someone starve to death,” Weir said.

Guantanamo officials said this latest hunger strike began Aug. 8 with 76 detainees protesting their confinement. It has since grown to more than a quarter of the approximately 500 detainees.

The military defines someone as being on a hunger strike after they have refused nine consecutive meals.