Thirty-two years ago today, on 24 November 1993, one of the most legendary commanders of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Emad Akel – known across Palestine as “the Ghost” – fell in battle against Israeli occupation forces in the Shuja’iyya neighborhood of Gaza.

More than three decades after his killing by Israeli occupation forces, Akel remains one of the most revered figures in the collective memory of Gaza’s armed struggle.

Emad Akel — also spelled Imad Akel — was born on June 19, 1971, in the Jabalia refugee camp to a family forcibly displaced in 1948 from the village of Barair near al-Majdal, today’s Ashkelon. Those who knew him recall a quiet, academically gifted child who excelled in school and often served as a teacher’s assistant. His brother Adel says Akel was more fascinated by maps, terrain, and geography than by politics during his early years—an interest that would later underpin his reputation as a master of disguise and tactical movement.

The Ghost

Akel’s trajectory shifted as he witnessed a series of tragedies around him. The imprisonment of several family members, the killing of distant relatives, and the ongoing hardships in the refugee camp pushed him toward the growing Islamic resistance movement during the early days of the First Intifada.

He and his brother were arrested on September 23, 1988, for their affiliation with Hamas. After his release, Akel joined the ranks of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, where his resourcefulness, discipline, and ability to operate undetected quickly set him apart.

By the early 1990s, Israeli intelligence labeled him “the ghost” — a nod to his ability to blend into virtually any environment. Eyewitnesses recall him appearing in disguises ranging from an Orthodox Jewish settler with a skullcap to a laborer or civilian wandering the alleys of Gaza. His uncanny ability to evade capture elevated him among Palestinians as a symbol of ingenuity under occupation.

A Mentor to Future Leaders

Akel rose to become one of the top field commanders of the al-Qassam Brigades and played a significant mentoring role for younger fighters. Among those he trained was Mohammed Deif, who would later become the movement’s most prominent military leader. Analysts say Akel’s tactical mindset — especially his doctrine of fluid, mobile resistance units — helped shape the operational identity of Gaza’s armed groups for years to follow.

Residents who remember him say Akel carried an unwavering belief that he would eventually be killed by Israeli forces. In 1991, he reportedly told his brother:

“The Israelis are after me. They will follow me until the end. When they kill me, I will meet my Lord as a martyr.”

Such statements contributed to the aura surrounding him, painting him as someone who accepted the inevitability of death while embracing a life of resistance.

Final Hours in Shuja’iyya

On November 24, 1993, an informant revealed Akel’s location to Israeli forces. He was surrounded in a house in Shuja’iyya, east of Gaza City. After hours of siege, clashes erupted. Akel attempted to break out, but Israeli soldiers shot him moments after he stepped outside.

Robert Fisk, the famed British journalist, described Akel at the time as “the most important Hamas activist ever shot dead by the Israeli army.”

Fearing mass demonstrations, Israeli forces buried Akel in Jabalia Camp under the cover of night.

In 1995, Hamas arrested senior official Walid Hamdiya for relaying information to Israel that allegedly led to Akel’s death and the killing of four other commanders. Hamdiya was later sentenced to death in 2002.

Enduring Legacy

Akel’s legacy continued to grow long after his death. Streets, murals, and battalion units bear his name across the Gaza Strip. In 2009, Hamas released a biographical film dramatizing his life, written by senior figures Mahmoud al-Zahar and Fathi Hamad and directed by Majed Jundiyeh. The production portrayed Akel as a martyr-hero whose life embodied sacrifice, piety, and resistance — themes deeply rooted in Palestinian cultural memory.

Among younger generations, Akel is remembered less for specific operations and more as a figure who personified defiance against overwhelming odds. His story — a displaced child who grew into one of Gaza’s most elusive commanders — remains a point of inspiration in a society still shaped by occupation, displacement, and conflict.

As Gaza continues to endure hardship, Akel’s name persists not only in the pages of history, but in the narratives of resistance that many Palestinians continue to pass to their children. (ILKHA)