Tension heightens after Palestine prisoner who was on hunger strike dies in Israel jail
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Ramallah: After a nearly three-month hunger strike, a Palestinian prisoner died in Israeli custody early Tuesday, potentially triggering a rise in conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant groups amid already high tensions.
Shortly after Israel’s prison service announced the death of Khader Adnan, who began his hunger strike after his arrest on February 5, it is reported that a volley of rockets was shot into southern Israel by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.
Adnan had previously gone on hunger strike, including a 55-day strike in 2015 to protest his detention without charge or trial.
Israel's prison service stated that Adnan was charged with involvement in terrorist activities, but he refused medical treatment while legal proceedings moved forward. Adnan was found unconscious in his cell and transferred to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Following Adnan's death, Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip reportedly launched a series of rockets into southern Israel, which the Israeli military said caused no damage.
The Islamic Jihad militant group released a statement declaring that their fight continues and will not cease. Israel waged an 11-day war with Palestinian militants, including Islamic Jihad, in May 2021.
According to the Israeli human rights group HaMoked, over 1,000 Palestinian detainees are currently being held in Israeli prisons without charge or trial, the highest number since 2003. Israel's practice of administrative detention has faced criticism from Palestinians and rights groups, who argue that it is frequently abused and denies detainees due process.
Israel, on the other hand, defends administrative detention as a necessary measure to prevent attacks and detain dangerous militants without revealing sensitive security information. However, the secrecy surrounding the evidence makes it difficult for detainees and their lawyers to mount a proper defence.
