Fursan Khalifa

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Fursan Mahmoud Abdullah Khalifa
Native name
فرسان محمود عبد الله خليفة
Born8 April 1983
Tulkarm, West Bank
Died25 November 2023 (aged 40)
Gaza Strip
Cause of deathTargeted bombing
Buried
Tulkarm, West Bank
AllegianceFlag of al-Qassam Brigades.svg  Hamas
Military al-Qassam Brigades
Years of service2000–2003; 2011–2023
RankMilitary Commander
Battles / wars
Alma mater al-Quds Open University
Children4

Fursan Mahmoud Abdullah Khalifa [1] (Arabic : فرسان محمود عبد الله خليفة; 8 April 1983 – 25 November 2023) was a senior Palestinian military commander of Hamas and the Qassam Brigades. [2] He was born in Tulkarm to a prominent senior Hamas leader and military commander. [3] [4] He was in detention under the Israeli government from 2003 until 2011, when he was released as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange, and was deported to the Gaza Strip. [5] He was later assassinated by the IDF during Operation Iron Sword. [6]

Early life and career

Khalifa was born in Tulkarm on 8 April 1983 in the Nur Shams refugee camp. During the Second Intifada, he became a prominent member of the al-Qassam Brigades and was captured and arrested by Israel on 7 April 2003 for conspiracy to commit terror attacks against it. [7] Khalifa was found guilty of terrorism and sentenced to 24 years in prison. [8] He was released by Israeli authorities in 2011 as one of over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners exchanged for the life of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, ending up in Gaza. [5]

Following his release in 2011, Khalifa became one of the most prominent members of the West Bank division of the al-Qassam Brigades. [9] He was the first official to be appointed a commander for the Northern West Bank. [10] Israel alleged that after his release, he directed several terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians, [7] and that he worked to strengthen the military infrastructure of Hamas in the West Bank. [11]

Personal life

Khalifa held a Bachelor's degree in "Social and Family Development" from Al-Quds Open University, and in 2021, obtained a Master's degree from their Institute of Sustainable Development. [12]

Death

Khalifa was killed as part of the Israeli response to the surprise invasion during the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip. [3] His body was found on November 25, 2023 under the rubble following the entry of Palestinian forces into a building following the temporary ceasefire. A funeral was held for him in his hometown of Tulkarm. [13] Hamas confirmed the deaths of Khalifa and several other commanders on November 25. [14]

References

  1. ↑ "مبعدو صفقة تبادل حركة حماس وإسرائيل (صفقة شاليط) 1/10/2011". info.wasa.ps. Archived from the original on 17 February 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  2. ↑ "تصفية مسؤول عسكري فلسطيني رفيع في القطاع". Aakher Khabar. 28 November 2023. Archived from the original on 25 November 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  3. 1 2 "מתברר: בכיר חמאס פורסאן ח'ליפה חוסל בתקיפת צה"ל לפני מספר ימים" (in Hebrew). Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  4. ↑ "Palestinian reports: Senior Hamas official assassinated in Gaza a few days ago". All Israel News. November 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  5. 1 2 "أسماء المفرج عنهم في صفقة شاليط حسب مصلحة السجون الإسرائيلية". دنيا الوطن (in Arabic). 16 October 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  6. ↑ "The death of the deported Fursan Khalifa in a previous bombardment of Gaza". Khbr Press. 25 November 2023. Archived from the original on 25 November 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  7. 1 2 "ترجمة الحدث| من هو الشخص الذي جند مجموعة الشهيد جرار وأعطاهم أوامر بتنفيذ العملية ؟". www.alhadath.ps (in Arabic). Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  8. ↑ Shragai, Nadav (21 August 2019). "Hamas: Busier than ever in the West Bank". Israel Hayom.
  9. ↑ الإخبارية, سما. ""إسرائيل" تزعم مقر قيادة الضفة في غزة هو المسؤول عن عملية غوش عتصيون". سما الإخبارية (in Arabic). Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  10. ↑ "המנגנון של חמאס לפיגועים בגדה". News1 (in Hebrew). Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  11. ↑ "كيف يدير جناح حماس العسكري العمليات في الضفة الغربية؟". وكالة وطن للأنباء (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 25 November 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  12. ↑ Khalifa, Fursan (2021). "تأثيخ التخظيط االستخاتيجي عمى التظؾيخ اإلداري في القظاع الحكؾمي الفمدظيشي". alquds.edu. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  13. ↑ "فلسطين بوست | من منزل الأسير المحرر فرسان خليفة في طولكرم عقب الإعلان عن استشهاده في قطاع غزة". موقع نبض. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  14. ↑ Fabian, Emanuel (26 November 2023). "Hamas confirms senior commanders killed in earlier Gaza fighting". The Times of Israel.
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