Palestinian Islamic Jihad warned Tuesday that Israel “will pay the price” for the death of Khader Adnan, a member of the group who died after spending 86 days on hunger strike in an Israeli prison.
“We consider the enemy [Israel] responsible for the murder of the martyr Khader Adnan”, said Mohamed al-Hindi, a member of the political committee of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, quoted by the Spanish news agency EFE.
Adnan, 44, was found unconscious in his cell early Tuesday morning and taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Israel “will pay the price for this crime and for all crimes against our prisoners and our people,” Al-Hindi said.
The statement by the leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad coincided with the launch of three rockets from Gaza against Israel, after confirming the death of Adnan.
The shells, which hit open areas and caused no damage or injuries, have yet to be claimed by any Palestinian faction.
The Hamas movement, which de facto rules the Gaza Strip, said in a statement that Adnan’s death was a “premeditated and cold-blooded assassination” by Israel.
Hamas accused Israel of refusing to release Adnan after his health deteriorated as a result of the hunger strike.
“Our people, with all their forces and factions, will by all means intensify all forms of resistance and confront the crimes of occupation. [israelita] against prisoners and detainees,” Hamas added.
From the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded an “international investigation” into Adnan’s death and said it will refer the case to the International Criminal Court.
Adnan went on hunger strike on February 5, the same day he was arrested.
The Israeli authorities accused Adnan of terrorism and incitement to violence for being a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an organization considered a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States and the European Union.
The Israeli prison services stated that Adnan refused to receive medical attention in the Nitzan prison in Ramla, a city about 15 kilometers from Tel Aviv, where he was being held.
Adnan had demanded to be transferred to a hospital and see his family for treatment.
It was Adnan’s tenth arrest by Israel, which has served multiple prison terms for membership in Islamic Jihad.
Adnan has already been on a hunger strike five times, the longest in 2012, when he went 66 days without food to protest his detention without charge or trial.
He had also been on a hunger strike for 50 days in 2015.
Source: TSF
