Top Hamas official Wasfi Qabha passed away at the age of 62 after suffering from COVID complications.

In recent weeks, Qabha’s health seriously worsened and he had been placed under total anesthesia and attached to a ventilator.

Thousands of Palestinians attended the funeral ceremony of Wasfi Qabha that was held the West Bank city of Jenin.

Wasfi Kabha was Minister of Prisoners' Affairs of the Palestinian National Authority in the Palestinian Government of March 2006 and is one of the most prominent leaders of the Islamic movement in the West Bank and Minister of State in Palestinian National Unity Government of March 2007.

After the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007, President Mahmoud Abbas acquitted all Hamas cabinet members including Kabha, who was replaced by Ashraf al-Ajrami.

Wasfi Kabha was kidnapped by the Israeli authorities in June 2006, along with other Hamas ministers and parliament members in a clampdown against their organization. During his eleven-day detainment he claimed being abused by interrogators.

On 21 May 2015, he was released by the Israeli authorities after spending 10 months in administrative detention.

During his life, Qabha called for unity and cohesion of our Palestinian people in the face of the Zionist enemy. He also spent many years in the occupation prisons defending the choice of resistance. (ILKHA)