Ghassan Duhine

Ghassan Duhine is the second and current leader of the Israeli-backed Popular Forces armed group in the Gaza Strip. Following the killing of the group's founder Yasser Abu Shabab in a dispute with the Abu Suneima family on 4 December 2025, Duhine declared himself the new leader of the group. Ghassan served as the commander of the Popular Forces' military wing Counter-Terrorism Service and formerly a senior commander to Yasser Abu Shabab.

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.
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. He was allegedly jailed in the past for criminal offences including drug trafficking.