Overview

Khader Adnan was a spokesman for Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), who had been arrested at least 12 times since 2004. He popularized the tactic of hunger strikes by Palestinian prisoners, winning early release on multiple occasions. He initiated another hunger strike after his February 5, 2023, arrest by Israel. His May 2 death from the hunger strike sparked a series of rocket attacks by PIJ and Hamas and Israeli reprisals throughout that May.Emily Rose, “Rockets fired from Gaza after Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israeli custody,” Reuters, May 2, 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinian-hunger-striker-khader-adnan-dies-israeli-prison-israel-says-2023-05-02/; “Hamas vehemently condemns assassination of Palestinian hunger striker Khadr Adnan by Israeli occupation,” Hamas, May 2, 2023, https://hamas.ps/en/post/4697/Hamas-vehemently-condemns-assassination-of-Palestinian-hunger-striker-Khadr-Adnan-by-Israeli-occupation; Ilan Ben Zion, “Prominent Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israeli custody,” Associated Press, May 2, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-hunger-strike-adnan-4b9c28fe71f66bab3a1583f1bddbab9c.

Adnan became involved with PIJ while a student at Bir Zeit University, where he received an undergraduate degree in mathematics. He reportedly became a political advocate for PIJ, leading to his first arrest and four-month incarceration by Israel in 1999. By the time he married in 2005, Adnan had been arrested five times.“Who was Khader Adnan, the Palestinian who died on hunger strike?,” Al Jazeera, May 2, 2023, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/2/who-was-khader-adnan-the-palestinian-who-died-on-hunger-strike. Adnan became a spokesman for PIJ, but claimed he never joined the group’s armed wing.Omar Rahman, “Randa Adnan: ‘I still have hope,” Al Jazeera, February 19, 2012, https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2012/2/19/randa-adnan-i-still-have-hope. PIJ referred to him as one of its West Bank leaders.Ed Payne and Kareem Khadder, “Israel releases Islamic Jihad member famous for hunger strikes,” CNN, July 12, 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/11/world/israel-palestinian-detainee-released/index.html.

Adnan was arrested again on December 17, 2011. He was reportedly held for 18 days for interrogation and subjected to verbal and physical abuse. He began a 66-day hunger strike that ended on February 21, 2012. Israel announced he would be released that April as long as “no new significant and substantiate material” was presented against him.Kevin Flower, “Palestinian ends hunger strike after Israel agrees to release,” CNN, February 21, 2012, https://www.cnn.com/2012/02/21/world/meast/israel-palestinian-detainee/index.html. That hunger strike was the longest by a Palestinian prisoner to-date. It elicited protests and social media campaigns on Adnan’s behalf around the West Bank, turning him into a symbol for Palestinian prisoners.Kevin Flower, “Palestinian ends hunger strike after Israel agrees to release,” CNN, February 21, 2012, https://www.cnn.com/2012/02/21/world/meast/israel-palestinian-detainee/index.html; Omar Rahman, “Randa Adnan: ‘I still have hope,” Al Jazeera, February 19, 2012, https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2012/2/19/randa-adnan-i-still-have-hope.

Israel arrested Adnan again in July 2014 and sentenced him to six months in prison. After that sentence was extended, Adnan began another hunger strike on May 4, 2015. Israel released Adnan on July 12, 2015, after reaching a deal that June for him to end a 56-day hunger strike. According to Adnan’s attorney, the Red Cross and other human rights groups warned Israel Adnan was close to death.Liam O’Hare, “Q&A: ‘It is possible to break the Israeli occupation,’” Al Jazeera, July 26, 2015, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/7/26/qa-it-is-possible-to-break-the-israeli-occupation; “Khader Adnan wins ‘battle of empty stomachs’ in Israel,” Al Jazeera, July 12, 2015, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/7/12/khader-adnan-wins-battle-of-empty-stomachs-in-israel.

Adnan was arrested at least 11 times since 2004 and altogether spent eight years incarcerated in Israel.Abeer Salman, Hadas Gold, Richard Allen Greene, and Helen Regan, “Prominent Palestinian detainee Khader Adnan dies in Israeli prison after 87-day hunger strike,” CNN, May 2, 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/02/middleeast/khader-adnan-dies-hunger-strike-intl-hnk/index.html#:~:text=Palestinian%20Khader%20Adnan%2C%20center%2C%20is,Jenin%20on%20July%2012%2C%202015. Israel arrested Adnan on February 5, 2023, during an overnight raid in the West Bank village of Arraba.“Israel rearrests senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad member Khader Adnan,” Middle East Eye, February 5, 2023, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-rearrests-khader-adnan-islamic-jihad. He was charged with links to an outlawed group and incitement to violence. He announced a hunger strike that lasted for 87 days until his death on May 2. According to the Israel Prison Service, Adnan had refused medical treatment or tests.“Who was Khader Adnan, the Palestinian who died on hunger strike?,” Al Jazeera, May 2, 2023, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/2/who-was-khader-adnan-the-palestinian-who-died-on-hunger-strike.

Following his death, a coalition of Gaza militant groups launched at least 25 rockets toward southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, wounding at least three people. Israeli defenses intercepted four rockets. PIJ and Hamas were among the groups to claim credit for the rockets. Hamas condemned Adnan’s death as an assassination and offered its condolences to PIJ. Emily Rose, “Rockets fired from Gaza after Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israeli custody,” Reuters, May 2, 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinian-hunger-striker-khader-adnan-dies-israeli-prison-israel-says-2023-05-02/; “Hamas vehemently condemns assassination of Palestinian hunger striker Khadr Adnan by Israeli occupation,” Hamas, May 2, 2023, https://hamas.ps/en/post/4697/Hamas-vehemently-condemns-assassination-of-Palestinian-hunger-striker-Khadr-Adnan-by-Israeli-occupation; Ilan Ben Zion, “Prominent Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israeli custody,” Associated Press, May 2, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-hunger-strike-adnan-4b9c28fe71f66bab3a1583f1bddbab9c. Between May 2 and May 3, Palestinian militants launched at least 100 rockets toward Israel, eliciting Israeli reprisals against multiple Hamas targets in Gaza. After Qatar, Egypt, and the United Nations brokered a ceasefire, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh demanded Israel return Adnan’s body to his family.“Israeli airstrikes on Gaza kill Palestinian as violence ebbs,” Associated Press, May 3, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-prisoner-rockets-strikes-gaza-d2ee69d319d3b3211292cf60ebc02b14; Staff writer with Agence France-Presse, “Islamic Jihad Announces Truce After Gaza Rocket Fire,” Defense Post, May 3, 2023, https://www.thedefensepost.com/2023/05/03/islamic-jihad-truce-gaza/.

On May 9, 2023, Israel launched Operation Shield and Arrow against PIJ in Gaza in response to the more than 100 rockets PIJ fired the week before. Airstrikes killed senior PIJ commanders Jihad Ghannam, Tareq Izzeldeen, and Khalil Al-Bahtini in Gaza.Nidal Al-Mughrabi, “Israel kills three Islamic Jihad leaders, 10 civilians in Gaza,” Reuters, May 9, 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-jets-strike-islamic-jihad-targets-gaza-military-2023-05-08/; Yaakov Lapin, “‘Operation Shield and Arrow’ seeks to re-establish Israeli deterrence,” Jewish News Syndicate, May 9, 2023, https://www.jns.org/operation-shield-and-arrow-seeks-to-reestablish-israeli-deterrence/. PIJ responded by launching more than 500 rockets toward Israeli towns. On May 11, PIJ called for Israel to release Adnan’s body as a condition for a ceasefire. Israel refused.Lahav Harkov, “Egypt intensifies ceasefire efforts, sending envoys to Israel,” Jerusalem Post, May 11, 2023, https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-742742; Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Dan Williams, “Israel kills senior Gaza commanders as rockets cause first death in Israel,” Reuters, May 11, 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-kills-senior-gaza-commander-militants-fire-rockets-across-border-2023-05-11/. An Israeli security official reportedly said Israel intended to use Adnan’s body to negotiate for the release of Israeli prisoners held in Gaza.“Israeli security official: We will use Khader Adnan's body to recover our prisoners from Gaza,” Middle East Monitor, May 12, 2023, https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230512-israeli-security-official-we-will-use-khader-adnans-body-to-recover-our-prisoners-from-gaza/.