Ghassan Duhine | |
|---|---|
| Leader of the Popular Forces | |
| Assumed office 4 December 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Yasser Abu Shabab |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ghassan Duhine 3 October 1987 [1] |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Formerly:
|
| Unit | |
| Battles/wars | |
Ghassan Duhine (Arabic : غسان الدهيني; born 3 October 1987) [3] [1] is the second and current leader of the Israeli-backed Popular Forces armed group in the Gaza Strip. [4] Following the killing of the group's founder Yasser Abu Shabab in a dispute with a family on 4 December 2025, [5] Duhine declared himself the new leader of the group. [6] Ghassan had formerly served as the commander of the Popular Forces' Counter-Terrorism Service and the deputy commander to Yasser Abu Shabab. [4] [7]
Public information about Duhine's early life is limited, though regional analysts generally identify him as originating from the Tarabin clan based in the Rafah area. [3] [1]
According to local reporting, Duhine previously held roles in the Palestinian National Security Forces prior to the 2007 Battle of Gaza, and has been described by media outlets as a former fighter within the Army of Islam, a Gaza-based Salafi jihadist militant group aligned with the Islamic State (IS). [8] [1] He was allegedly jailed in the past for criminal offences including drug trafficking. [2] [1]