Ihab al-Ghussein (Arabic: إيهاب الغصين; 12 May 1979 – 7 July 2024) was a Palestinian politician who served as the de facto spokesman of the Interior Ministry of the Palestinian Authority based in the Hamas-administered Gaza Strip.
Ihab al-Ghussein | |
|---|---|
إيهاب الغصين | |
| Deputy Labor Minister of Palestine | |
| In office 2020 – 7 July 2024 | |
| President | Mahmoud Abbas |
| Minister of Communications | |
| In office 2012–2020 | |
| President | Mahmoud Abbas |
| Prime Minister | Ismail Haniyeh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 May 1979 Kuwait |
| Died | 7 July 2024 (aged 45) Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Palestine |
| Manner of death | Assassination by airstrike |
| Nationality | Palestinian |
| Political party | Hamas |
| Children | 1 (deceased) |
| Education | Islamic University of Gaza |
| Occupation | Politician |
Biography
editAl-Gussein was born on 12 May 1979.[1]
In 2012, he became the director of the Communications Ministry in the Gaza Strip until 2020, when he was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Labor.[1][2] He was involved in merging the Executive Force of Hamas into the Palestinian security forces which includes police, national and internal security, civil defense forces and firefighters.[3] Al-Ghussein ordered the release of 150 prisoners who were members of Fatah and other Palestinian factions.[4] During Israel's air strikes against Hamas government buildings in Operation Cast Lead, in which Israel said it killed Hamas operatives launching rockets, al-Ghussein replied that those killed were "Gazans at work, not activists launching rockets as Israel."[5]
Assassination
editOn 7 July 2024, during the Israel–Hamas war, an Israeli airstrike on the Holy Family Catholic School in Gaza City killed al-Ghussein and three others, according to reports by Palestinian media.[6][7] Hamas confirmed his death and said an earlier airstrike on a home killed his wife and daughter. Al-Ghussein was 45.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b "Israel reportedly assassinates key Hamas official in Gaza". Israel Hayom. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ Dahman, Ibrahim; Kourdi, Eyad (7 July 2024). "Hamas says senior government official in Gaza killed in airstrike". CNN. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ Hamas disbands Executive Force, absorbs troops into police (Extra) Monsters and Critics.
- ^ Hamas frees 150 prisoners from Gazan jails Xinhua News Agency.
- ^ Hamas: 120 police dead, 95% of security buildings demolished and hundreds of civilians slain Ma'an News Agency.
- ^ "Senior official killed in Israeli strike, Hamas say". BBC. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ "Deputy Hamas labor minister reported killed in Israeli airstrike in Gaza". The Times of Israel. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ "Directly Hit by a Plane - Deputy Labor Minister in Gaza Killed by Israeli Airstrike". Palestine Chronicle. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
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