Youssef Abu al-Rish

Little is known about his early life but he has been working as a doctor in Gaza for many years, he first emerged in public sources around 2015 as an undersecretary/Deputy Minister of Health in Gaza, warning of critical medical shortages, hospital closures, and a severe lack of salaries for health workers under the Palestinian unity government.^[3]

In 2019, he led Gaza’s COVID‑19 prevention strategy, organizing response committees, training personnel, and enhancing diagnostics and containment measures.^[4]

In 2022, he advocated for increased international funding and support to sustain Gaza’s health infrastructure, citing a 75% drop in drug and supply stocks and a steep decline in UN aid.^[5]

On 27 December 2024, during the Gaza War when IDF attacked the Kamal Awan hospital. Youssef Abu al-Rish said Israeli forces had set fire to the surgical department, laboratory and a storehouse and calling for international forces to intervene.^[6]

He is identified as the Ten of Spade in the Hamas most wanted playing cards.^{[citation needed]}

• Hamas most wanted playing cards