Israeli army launches airstrikes on Palestinian factions’ sites in Gaza Strip

GAZA CITY - Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes on Tuesday targeting sites of Palestinian factions in the besieged Gaza Strip.

The Israeli fighter jets shelled, with several missiles, sites of armed factions in Gaza City and central areas of the strip, according to eyewitnesses and an Anadolu Agency correspondent.

The bombing caused violent explosions in large areas of the strip.

The Palestinian Health Ministry has not provided any information on whether there are any casualties.

Palestinian groups in Gaza and Israel exchanged fire on Tuesday shortly after the death of a Palestinian hunger striker in an Israeli prison.

Hunger striker Khader Adnan died in an Israeli prison on Tuesday after an 86-day hunger strike.

The Israel Prison Service (IPS) said Adnan, a member of the Islamic Jihad group, was found unconscious and was taken to hospital but attempts to resuscitate him failed.

His death has triggered a storm of condemnations, with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh calling it a "deliberate assassination." The 44-year-old, from the town of Arraba, west of Jenin, started his hunger strike on Feb 5 to protest his detention by Israeli authorities.

Adnan was repeatedly detained by Israeli forces and had staged multiple hunger strikes to protest his detention.

In 2012, Adnan staged a 66-day hunger strike in protest of his detention, forcing Israeli authorities to release him. He staged similar hunger strikes in 2015 and 2018.

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) urged Israel on Tuesday to halt unilateral measures that could further increase tensions and endanger the possibility of a just and sustainable peace based on a two-state solution following renewed violence in Palestinian territories.

In a statement issued by the EU after the first face-to-face meeting between EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen in Brussels, it said the commitment to a two-state solution was reaffirmed and the importance of respecting the status quo of the Holy sites was repeated.

"The EU and its Member States remain firmly committed to the two-state solution and the HR/VP recalled the European readiness to contribute to a peace process," it said, referring to Borrell, who is the EU High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission. - BERNAMA-ANADOLU