Wissam Abu Hussein Farhat (Arabic: وسام فرحات; died December 2, 2023) was a Head of Hamas's Shejaiya Battalion. He was the mastermind behind various attacks such as the Atzmona Massacre, the Nahal Oz attack and more.[citation needed]
Wissam Farhat | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Died | December 2, 2023 |
| Cause of death | Airstrike (the strike was recorded)[1] |
| Political party | Hamas |
| Occupation | Head of Hamas's Shejaiya Battalions |
Biography
Wissam Farhat was born in 1974 to Umm Nidal.[2][3][4] Three of his brothers -- Nidal, Muhammad, and Rawad were killed for their Hamas activities.[2]
Farhat was arrested on March 20, 1995 on charges of transporting 6 bags of explosives into Israel, which Israel alleged was an attempt to carry out a suicide bombing in Israel.[2] He spent almost 11 years in Israeli prison, including 2 years in Ashkelon, 6 years in Nafha, and 2 and a half years in Hadarim. He was released from Israeli prison in November 2005, three weeks after his brother Rawad was killed by Israel.[2]
While in prison, Farhat learned of his younger brother Muhammad's participation in the Atzmona attack, in which Muhammad killed 5 Israeli civilians and wounded 12 others. Their other brother Nidal was previously killed.[2]
Death
On December 2, 2023, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) killed Farhat in an airstrike during the 2023 Israel-Hamas war. The IDF identified Farhat as the commander of Hamas's Shejaiya battalion responsible leading the Nahal Oz attack during the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and for an incident during the Battle of Shuja'iyya in 2014 in which 7 IDF soldiers were killed, including Oron Shaul.[1]
On December 8, 2023 the military wing of Hamas, Al-Qassam Brigades, published a video showing footage of close-range battles in Shuja'iyya that resulted in the destruction of an IDF tank, and a Qassam militant is heard shouting "for your sake, Abu Hussein!" referring to Farhat.[5]
See also
References
- ^ a b Fabian, Emanuel (2 December 2023). "Israel kills Hamas commander behind deadly attacks; rocket barrage targets Tel Aviv". The Times of Israel.
- ^ a b c d e "بعد أن قدمت ثلاثة شهداء: والدة الاسير وسام فرحات تستقبله بعد غياب دام 11 عاما". Ma'an. 2005-11-10. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
- ^ السالم, أنس (December 6, 2023). ""لعيون ابو حسين فرحات" .. من هو قائد كتيبة الشجاعية الذي أهداه المقاتلون "الدبابة المتفحمة"؟". وطن | يغرد خارج السرب.
- ^ "سيلفي مع دبابة محترقة.. إهداء خاص من القسام لقائد كتيبة الشجاعية". التلفزيون العربي. December 8, 2023.
- ^ "Abu Hussein Farhat, the man who Al-Qassam burned a tank to avenge". Jordan News. 8 December 2023.