RAMALLAH, December 19, 2024 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Major General Fouad Shobaki, a prominent national leader and fighter, who died today at the age of 84.

In his statement, President Abbas praised Shobaki's exceptional life and contributions to the Palestinian cause. He highlighted the late leader's steadfast commitment to the Palestinian Revolution, his leadership role within the Fatah movement, and his tireless efforts in defending the rights of the Palestinian people and their just struggle for freedom and independence.

The President offered his heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased, his fellow comrades in the struggle, the members of Fatah and the Palestinian national movement, as well as to the Palestinian people and all supporters of justice around the world. 

Fouad Shobaki, born in 1940 in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza, was one of the first to join the Palestinian fedayeen movement in the mid-1960s. He underwent training in the camps of the Palestinian revolution and participated in its battles. 

Shobaki gained the trust of the leaders of the movement, including the late President Yasser Arafat, who appointed him to manage the military financial administration. He was also a member of both the Palestinian National Council and the Revolutionary Council of Fatah.

Throughout his life, Shobaki traveled with the Palestinian revolution, moving from Jordan to Lebanon, then to Tunisia, and finally returning to Palestine in 1994. 

He played a significant role in establishing the Palestinian National Authority and laying the foundations for an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Shobaki spent 17 years in Israeli prisons, eventually being released in March 2023. 

M.N