Palestinian politician (1979–2024)
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.
Biography
Al-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]
Death
On 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