Mazen Faqha
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mazen Muhammad Suleiman Faqha (Arabic: مازن فقها, romanized: Māzen Faqhā; 24 August 1979 – 24 March 2017) was a senior commander in the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). He was sentenced by Israel to 9 life terms in 2003 for his involvement in the planning and execution of multiple terrorist acts beginning in 2001. He was released as part of the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange and deported to Gaza. After his release, he was one of the founders and leaders of Hamas' section in the West Bank.
Faqha was born in 1978.[1] He was from Tubas, northeast of Nablus in the West Bank.[2] He completed his education in Tubas, then studied economics at An-Najah National University in Nablus. During his first year at the university, he joined the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing.[3]
He was arrested in Tubas on 5 August 2002, during the Second Intifada and jailed by Israel in 2003 for planning attacks against Israelis. He was sentenced to nine life terms for his role in the Meron Junction Bus 361 attack that left nine Israelis dead,[2] but was one of more than 1,000 Palestinians released and deported to Gaza as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange in 2011.[1][2] He was also associated with the Sbarro restaurant suicide bombing.[3]
After his release, Faqha and Abd el-Rahman Ghanimat founded Hamas' West Bank section, which operated under Saleh al-Arouri, and consisted of fighters from the West Bank who had been deported to Gaza.[2] At his death, Faqha was one of Hamas' senior military commanders in the West Bank.[4][1]
