Islamic Jihad announces truce around Gaza after death of hunger striker in Israeli custody

A truce has been announced by the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad in Gaza following conflict with Israel, which had escalated after the death of a hunger striker from its ranks while in Israeli custody. Sources from both Islamic Jihad and fellow militant group Hamas have revealed that mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and the United Nations intervened to broker a return to calm from 4am. Israel, however, has not yet confirmed the agreement.

The Israeli army reported that the last warning sirens were heard near the Gaza border at around 5:30am. Witnesses in the blockaded Palestinian territory also claimed that several rockets were fired at Israel around this time. Tariq Salmi, a spokesperson for Islamic Jihad, said in a statement, “One round of confrontation has ended, but the march of resistance continues and will not stop.” He added that their fighters had demonstrated loyalty and commitment to defend their people.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyah has demanded that Israel return the hunger striker’s body to his family, stating, “We stress – and as we have informed all the mediators who intervened – the necessity of handing over the body of the martyr Khader Adnan to his patient family.” Adnan, 45 years old, from Jenin in the occupied West Bank, died on Tuesday after an 87-day hunger strike following his arrest by Israel due to ties with Islamic Jihad. Adnan, who had undertaken several high-profile hunger strikes during his 13 stints in Israeli custody, became a national hero and renewed interest in hunger strikes as a form of protest among Palestinians in Israeli jails.

Since yesterday morning, around 100 rockets have been fired by militant groups from Gaza towards Israel, as stated by Islamic Jihad. In response, the Israeli army reported carrying out multiple air strikes on Gaza early today, targeting “weapons manufacturing sites, outposts, military complexes and an underground terror tunnel” connected to Hamas. The army added, “It (Hamas) will face the consequences.”

Israel typically holds Hamas responsible for all rocket fire from Gaza, no matter which militant group initiated the attack. Hamas has controlled the territory since pushing out loyalists of Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas in 2007, reports Bangkok Post.