American prisoner Alan Gross, held in a Cuban prison for over four years, began a hunger strike Wednesday to protest the failure of his release by both the Cuban and the American governments.

Gross was originally arrested in 2009 for helping the Jewish community set up communications equipment. He was sent to the island by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to help improve communication throughout the island.

In Cuba, the Internet is heavily regulated by the Cuban government. After Gross was already jailed, officials setup a "Cuban Twitter". USAID also ran this program.

Gross has been frustrated by the U.S.'s failure to assist his release from the prison. He believes he's lost over 110 pounds sine 2009.

"I am fasting to object to mistruths, deceptions, and inaction by both governments, not only regarding their shared responsibility for my arbitrary detention, but also because of the lack of any reasonable or valid effort to resolve this shameful ordeal," Gross said in a statement released by his attorney. "Once again, I am calling on President Obama to get personally involved in ending this stand-off so that I can return home to my wife and daughters."

Gross's attorney spoke with him today over the phone. Gross told him that he's lost 10 more pounds and is only drinking water.

Gross believes the U.S. government isn't trying hard enough to get him out of prison. He adds that the Cuban Twitter program made things unsafe for him and was what caused him to start the hunger strike.

Gross's attorney, Scott Gilbert, has no idea how long his client will continue his hunger strike but quoted him as saying "as long as it takes."

Cuba says Gross's release will be discussed once the U.S. considers releasing five Cuban individuals they believe are wrongfully detained. Two of those individuals have already been released.

The White House wants Gross's release to occur because they believe it will help with U.S.-Cuban relations.

Gross says he is most frustrated with the U.S. government, even more so than Cuba's.

In the U.S., supporters of Gross have protested in Washington, D.C.