The name of Dr. Eng. Jamal Al-Zebdeh, who was assassinated by Israel with prominent leaders in the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), emerged during the war on Gaza.

The association of the sixtieth university graduate, a graduate of American universities, with military work was not known even to his family members and close associates, so his martyrdom in the company of his eldest son Osama and a number of leaders of Al-Qassam Brigades, most notably the Gaza Brigade commander, Basem Issa, constituted a "surprise" for many.


The Pathfinder companion and store of secrets

Umm Usama - the wife of the martyr Jamal al-Zibdeh - says that one day he came to her to tell her the path he would take with the resistance, and he left her the choice, so she chose without hesitation to support and support him, and to accompany him on the "path of jihad and resistance."

With a smiling face, Umm Osama received Al-Jazeera Net for a few minutes in a mourning pavilion filled with those she described as well-wishers, not mourners.

The martyr Jamal Al-Zibdeh on the birthday of his son Osama,


"I wish to spend a hundred years in jihad," knowing their path.

pic.twitter.com/6ljoSxjB9u

- Fidaa Fida (@fidaazaanin) May 19, 2021

After his death, Dr. Jamal (64 years) posted a video clip that was collected by his martyr son Osama (33 years), as he presented him with a gift on the day of his birth.

Umm Osama says that her martyred husband instilled in the hearts of his children and even his young grandchildren a love of the homeland and sacrifice for it, and although he was few words, his talk always was about resistance as the only way to liberate Palestine.

Umm Osama vows to complete her husband's path and raise her grandchildren on the path of resistance against the occupation, until the fulfillment of the dream of their grandfather, the martyr, who comes from a refugee family from the city of Jaffa, to liberate all of Palestine's soil from the sea to the river.

Professor Habib Abu Osama Jamal # The butter .. lived an honorable life, God sealed his testimony accompanied by his eldest son, Engineer Osama .. # Gaza # Palestine pic.twitter.com/z0dgQh6Ngy

- Bilal Nizar Rayan (@Belalezar) May 15, 2021

The son of the martyr Abdel Aziz (30 years) told Al-Jazeera Net that his father used to pray a lot during the month of Ramadan, and pray in a few days and hours before the outbreak of the war, that God would write his martyrdom for him and tell us, "Jerusalem deserves to sacrifice."

Despite what he appeared after his martyrdom as a military figure and leader in the resistance, Abdel Aziz confirms that this character was not apparent to his father at home and in his dealings with his family and his loved ones, and he says, “He was gentle and friendly with his family and everyone who knows him .. kisses the hands of my mother and sisters. ".

Jamal Al-Zibdeh was martyred, accompanied by his eldest son Osama and a number of leaders of Al-Qassam Brigades (Al-Jazeera)

Missile program developer

The military figure, the details of which emerged after the assassination of Dr. Al-Zebdeh, who was described by Israeli media as a "valuable catch", and who was a major force in the Hamas weapons system, and responsible for the production and development of rockets.

According to the information that began to unfold after the assassination, Dr. Jamal recruited his son Osama and a number of engineers to work with him in the "Military Industrialization Department", to develop Hamas' arsenal with the least means and using primitive materials available in besieged Gaza, and the development appeared noticeable during the last war than it was In the 2014 war.

Dr. Jamal is a professor of engineering sciences and mechanics at the Faculty of Engineering at the Islamic University in Gaza. He received his university education in the United States of America and has verified scientific research related to developing aircraft engines, which is published in prestigious scientific journals.

His family says that he worked for NASA in the United States, but in 1994 he decided to return to Gaza, in search of a role in the service of his country and its people.

Zebdeh joined in 2006 to work on developing the military capabilities of the Al-Qassam Brigades, and the range of its missiles at that time did not exceed 30 kilometers, to surprise everyone during the war with missiles covering the area of ​​historic Palestine.

Jamal Al-Zibdeh recruited his son and other engineers to work with him in the Military Industrialization Corner (Al-Jazeera)

Assassination attempt

In the second war in 2012, Israel attempted and failed to assassinate al-Zebdeh. For many, the assassination attempt was a surprise, and was not linked at the time to his military value that emerged after his assassination as an official in charge of the Military Industrialization Department of the Qassam Brigades, and the development of the missile and drone program.

And Hebrew media, citing the Israeli Internal Security Agency, reported that Zebdeh was the most prominent research and development expert in Hamas.

Missile arsenal

The war on Gaza revealed a significant and remarkable development in Hamas' missile capabilities, with the introduction of its military arm - the Qassam Brigades - new types of missiles, with greater range and the ability to carry explosive warheads with high destructive power.

Hamas - mainly and as the largest faction in the "common room" of the resistance factions - has demonstrated a tangible ability to maintain the launch of more than 4,000 rockets over 11 days of the war, on a daily basis, with different ranges and high destructive capabilities.

The "Ayyash 250" missile was the latest missile that was discovered by the Al-Qassam Brigades and brought into service during the war. It bears the name of Yahya Ayyash - one of its most prominent leaders - who was assassinated by Israel in 1995, and has a range of 250 km, with a great destructive capacity.

The Zebda family is proud of Israel's accusations that Dr. Jamal was one of the most prominent officials responsible for developing this missile system.