Assad Saftawi

Assad Saftawi (1935–1993) was a Palestinian cofounder and leader of the Fatah movement who was shot to death by three masked hitmen in the Gaza Strip on 21 October 1993. The assassination remains unsolved.

Early life and education Saftawi was born in Al Majdal on 14 June 1935. He attended the Teachers' Training College in Cairo between 1954 and 1957 and obtained a degree in teaching.

During his studies in Cairo Saftawi became a member of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and met Salah Khalaf. Saftawi later left the Muslim Brotherhood and was involved in the establishment of the Fatah movement along with Khalaf and Yasser Arafat.

Saftawi was expelled from Egypt due to his Brotherhood membership in 1957.

Career and activities Following his release from house arrest Saftawi worked as a teacher in the Gaza Strip and began to work as a head teacher in UNRWA schools in Al Shati in 1970.

Saftawi headed the Fatah group in the Gaza Strip. Saftawi was a moderate member of the Fatah and was a negotiator between the Islamic and nationalist movements of the Palestinian resistance.

For Saftawi majority of the people living in Gaza preferred an active resistance as a response to the Israeli occupation and therefore, became supporters of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad instead of the Muslim Brotherhood. He succumbed to the wounds at a hospital. He was 58 years old. The perpetrators of the assassination remain unknown. The other two were Mohammed Abu Shaaban and Maher Khail.

A group led by Ahmed Jibril and sponsored by Syria claimed responsibility for the assassination of Saftawi calling to a Western news agency. Nabil Shaath, a Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) member, reported that the murderers of Saftawi were from the PLO factions.

Personal life Saftawi was married. His family lived in Beit Lahia. His son, Imad, was a former member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.