Ghassan Duhine

Last updated

Ghassan Duhine
Leader of the Popular Forces
Assumed office
4 December 2025

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]

Contents

Personal life

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]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Agencies, Al Jazeera and. "Who is Ghassan al-Duhaini, Abu Shabab's successor?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 Sharawi, Ahmad; Truzman, Joe (19 October 2025). "Profiles of anti-Hamas militias in the Gaza Strip". FDD’s Long War Journal. Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  3. 1 2 "من هو العميل غسان الدهيني؟". Seraj.tv (in Arabic). 9 June 2025. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  4. 1 2 Isaacson, Gila (6 December 2025). "Anti-Hamas Militia in Gaza Chooses New Leader After Yasser Abu Shabab Dies Mysteriously". JFeed. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  5. "Anti-Hamas militia leader Yasser Abu Shabab killed in Gaza Strip - reports". Sky News. 4 December 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  6. "Ghassan Al-Duhaini to replace Shabab as Popular Forces head". The Jerusalem Post. 5 December 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
  7. van der Merwe, Ben; Doak, Sam. "Guns, cash and American aid: Investigation reveals Israel's support for Gaza militia". Sky News. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  8. "Behind Gaza's 'yellow line,' Israel's postwar laboratory". Le Monde. 3 December 2025.