Ghassan Duhine
Ghassan Duhine | |
|---|---|
| Leader of the Popular Forces | |
| Assumed office 4 December 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Yasser Abu Shabab |
| Commander of Popular Forces' military wing Counter-Terrorism Service | |
| Assumed office 2025 | |
| Senior Commander of the Popular Forces | |
| In office Unknown – 4 December 2025 | |
| Leader | Hassan Abu Shabab (as Commander of the Popular Forces) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ghassan Duhine 3 October 1987[1] |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Popular Forces administration (2024–present)
Formerly:
|
| Unit | Counter-Terrorism Service Palestinian National Security Forces (formerly) |
| 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 the Abu Suneima family on 4 December 2025,[5] Duhine declared himself the new leader of the group.[6] Ghassan served as the commander of the Popular Forces' military wing Counter-Terrorism Service and formerly a senior commander to Yasser Abu Shabab.[4][7]
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
- Salafi jihadist militant groups in the Gaza Strip
- Israel and state-sponsored terrorism
- Gaza humanitarian crisis
- Salafi jihadist insurgency in the Gaza Strip
- Societal breakdown in the Gaza Strip during the Gaza war
- Wartime collaboration
Notes
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Agencies, Al Jazeera and. "Who is Ghassan al-Duhaini, Abu Shabab's successor?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ a b c d 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.
- ^ a b "من هو العميل غسان الدهيني؟". Seraj.tv (in Arabic). 9 June 2025. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ a b Isaacson, Gila (6 December 2025). "Anti-Hamas Militia in Gaza Chooses New Leader After Yasser Abu Shabab Dies Mysteriously". JFeed. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ "Anti-Hamas militia leader Yasser Abu Shabab killed in Gaza Strip - reports". Sky News. 4 December 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ "Ghassan Al-Duhaini to replace Shabab as Popular Forces head". The Jerusalem Post. 5 December 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Behind Gaza's 'yellow line,' Israel's postwar laboratory". Le Monde. 3 December 2025.