Ahmad Kurd
Encyclopedia
Ahmad Kurd (1949- ) is the mayor of Deir al-Balah located in the central Gaza Strip
. He was elected as mayor in 2005 as the candidate for the political party and militant group, Hamas
. He also occupies the job of local sheikh in the Deir al-Balah mosque. Kurd is the director of the Gaza Strip
-based charity organization Salah Society. The organization has a school which has enrolled 1,000 orphans and other youngsters in Deir al-Balah.
Kurd was born in Deir al-Balah camp
a year after his family of five fled their home village near Ashkelon
. That family now consists of 70 people, and Ahmad Kurd himself has 11 children with his Russian wife. Kurd stated to the Washington Post, "I'm not asking to return to Ashkelon. I want to live in Deir al Balah, in a decent city, in an independent Palestinian state like other states."
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
. He was elected as mayor in 2005 as the candidate for the political party and militant group, Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
. He also occupies the job of local sheikh in the Deir al-Balah mosque. Kurd is the director of the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
-based charity organization Salah Society. The organization has a school which has enrolled 1,000 orphans and other youngsters in Deir al-Balah.
Kurd was born in Deir al-Balah camp
Deir al-Balah camp
Deir al-Balah camp is located one kilometer northwest of the center of Deir al-Balah town, of which it is part. It is designated as a Palestinian refugee camp by the UN General Assembly and the Hamas government although it is a permanent settlement of concrete buildings and has eight schools,...
a year after his family of five fled their home village near Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
. That family now consists of 70 people, and Ahmad Kurd himself has 11 children with his Russian wife. Kurd stated to the Washington Post, "I'm not asking to return to Ashkelon. I want to live in Deir al Balah, in a decent city, in an independent Palestinian state like other states."