One of the founding members of the Hamas terror organization died Tuesday, three weeks after accidentally shooting himself in the face while cleaning his weapon.
Imad al-Alami, 62, was cleaning his weapon in his home when the gun accidentally went off and hit him in the face, Hamas Spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said.
The senior Hamas leader died at the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Tuesday.
جانب من تشييع حثمان القيادي بحركة #حماس عماد العلمي بعد وفاته متأثراً بإصابته بعيار ناري بالخطأ قبل أسابيع. pic.twitter.com/LySjwzdLd2
— Pal.Info.Center (@PalinfoAr) January 30, 2018
Hamas initially said he died of natural causes, but the group later admitted that he was killed in an accident, Fox News reported.
Al-Alami had been a senior member of Hamas for decades, including a top member in Hamas’ policy-making body. He had been accused by Israel of planning a number of attacks.
Al-Alami lived in Syria for a number of years before returning to Gaza in 2012.
Following the 2014 Israel-Hamas war, al-Alami traveled to Turkey to receive treatment for an injury that resulted in the loss of a leg.
Hamas is a Gaza-based Palestinian terrorist network that has long called for the destruction of Israel.
