Khader Adnan

Khader Adnan Mohammad Musa (Arabic: خضر عدنان محمد موسى, romanized: Khaḍr ʿAdnān Muḥammad Mūsā‎; 24 March 1978 – 2 May 2023) was a Palestinian activist and prisoner in Israel who died after an 87-day hunger strike in protest of his detention without trial.

[25] At the demonstration, students threw eggs or stones at the former French Prime Minister during his visit to Birzeit to denounce his characterization of Hezbollah's military actions against the Israeli occupation as "terrorism.

[10][11][13] In a letter he gave to his lawyers for public release, Adnan explained why he was on hunger strike: The Israeli occupation has gone to extremes against our people, especially prisoners.

[12][36]Adnan was interrogated for 18 days following his arrest;[21] he told his lawyers that during this time Israeli soldiers made sexual innuendos about his wife, mocked his Islamic faith, beat him, tied him to a chair in painful positions, ripped hair from his beard and wiped dirt on his face.

[39] Under the administrative detention procedure, the Israeli military can hold detainees for renewable six-month periods without charge if it deems them to be security threats.

[10] The decision to detain an individual is based on the evidence presented to military judges, but not the defendant or his lawyers, and is subject to judicial review.

After meeting Adnan in the hospital, the organization Physicians for Human Rights – Israel, expressed "grave concern" and about his situation,[10] which its doctors described as "critical.

"[44] His hometown of Arraba was at the center of demonstrations, with solidarity protesters camping outside his house, which Palestinian and foreign officials visiting to enquire about Adnan's health conditions.

[38] Dozens of students from Birzeit University that gathered outside Ofer Prison on 13 February demanding Adnan's release were dispersed by Israeli security forces resulting in the injury of 23 people.

[46] On 15 February, supporters began an open hunger strike at a sit-in in front of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza City.

[15][48] About 1,000 mostly young Palestinians protested outside of Ofer Prison before being dispersed and in Hebron, hundreds of supporters held a sit-in holding posters reading "No to administrative arbitrary detention."

[48] Around 5,000 protesters demonstrated in Gaza City on 17 February 2012 chanting "We are all Khader Adnan," with the PIJ, Hamas and Fatah factions all participating.

[49] On 9 February, CNN reported that in response to criticism from human rights groups, the Israeli Prison Authority stated Adnan's case was being handled "strictly according to the law … with special attention being given to his humanitarian situation.

Egypt had an active role in the last prisoner exchange deal between Hamas and Israel – it is our older sister and we hope it intervenes.

Infusion of liquids, adjustment of salts, and the addition of glucose and vitamin cannot prevent certain death due to such a protracted hunger strike.

He suffers from stomach aches, vomiting, sometimes with blood, and headaches … His general condition is pale and very weak, his tongue is smooth, he has slight bleeding from the gums, dry skin, loss of hair, and significant muscular atrophy.

[56] Adnan's hunger strike drew critical scrutiny of Israel's practice of administrative detention by a number of human rights groups, international bodies and Palestinian leaders and protesters.

[15] Addameer, a Palestinian prisoners' support group expressed "utmost concern about the health" of Adnan, holding Israel accountable for his life.

[46] Human Rights Watch stated Israel must "immediately end its unlawful administrative detention" of Adnan and "charge or release him."

Spokeswoman Sarah Leah Whitson said "Israel should end, today, before it's too late, its almost two-month-long refusal to inform Adnan of any criminal charge or evidence against him.

"[58] Richard Falk, the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestinian human rights, criticized "authority figures, from the UN Secretary General on down," who he said expressed empathy for Gilad Shalit, while being "notably silent in the much more compelling ordeal being experienced before our eyes in the form of Mr Adnan's captivity, seemingly unto death.

"[48] Palestinian lawmaker Mustafa Barghouti, who was injured after being shot in the foot with a rubber bullet by Israeli security forces during a solidarity protest,[62] called for an international campaign demanding Adnan's release.

[63] Palestinian Islamic Jihad leaders Sheikh Nafez Azzam, Dawood Shihab, Khader Habib and Ahmad Mudallal participated in the open hunger strike that began on 15 February saying it was the "least we can do for this legendary symbol.

"[47] At a Friday sermon at the Great Mosque of Gaza, PIJ leader Nafez Azzam stated Adnan was "not fighting for a personal cause, but for the defence of thousands of prisoners.

"[16] Gaza-based Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, declared at a rally in Gaza that same day that, "The Palestinian people, with all its components and its factions, will never abandon the hero prisoners, especially those who lead this hunger strike battle.

"[3] On 18 February, it was reported that in meetings with officials from China, Russia, the United Kingdom and the European Union, President Mahmoud Abbas and PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat pressed for Adnan's release.

[64] United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process Robert Serry instructed Israel "to do everything in its power to preserve the health of the prisoner and resolve this case while abiding by all legal obligations under international law.

[23][66] The government of Israel was seemingly determined to break Adnan's hunger strike using force-feeding techniques similar to those used by the USA in its Guantanamo Bay prison camp.

[70] Physicians for Human Rights Israel said that, in the lead up to his death, their medic had visited Adnan and raised his "life-threatening condition and the need for immediate hospital transfer".

"[71] Despite his wife's pleas, militants in Gaza fired over twenty rockets at Israel and clashes between Palestinians and Israeli armed forces erupted in the West Bank as news of Adnan's death spread and a general strike was called for in the occupied territories.