(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – Palestinian armed group, Hamas released a video on the development and manufacturing of “Ghoul” sniper rifle, which claimed to be responsibe for over 20 Israeli military casualties during the current conflict.
The “Ghoul” precision sniper rifle is named after one of the key leaders of the Hamas armed group, Adnan Al-Ghoul, also known as the ‘Father of Hamas,’ responsible for the development and manufacturing of various weapons for the group from its inception.
Al-Ghoul played a significant role in the creation of the first-generation “Qassam” rockets and served as a close associate to Hamas military leaders Muhammad Deif and Yahya Ayyash.
He initiated military activities before the onset of the first Intifada in 1987 by establishing a unit conducting armed knife attacks against Israeli military personnel.
He was killed by Israeli security forces on October 21, 2004, after being pursued for 18 years. The incident occurred in an airstrike on Jaffa Street in Gaza City, alongside Hamas military branch leader Imad Abbas.
The “Ghoul” sniper rifle was unveiled to the public in 2014 during the “Protective Edge” conflict with the Israeli military, lasting 51 days.
During the period, Hamas’s military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, released videos demonstrating their successful targeting of Israeli military members using the “Ghoul” sniper rifle.
Since then, the precision rifle has become a crucial asset for Hamas fighters.
The “Ghoul” sniper rifle, with a caliber of 14.5mm, demonstrates effective shooting capabilities at a range of 2km.
Its overall length of one and a half meters places it on par with or surpasses other precision sniper rifles such as the “Dragunov” and “Steyr.”
Apart from the “Ghoul” sniper rifle, al-Ghoul was also responsible for developing hand grenades, mortar rounds, and anti-tank rockets for the use of Palestinian fighters, even as Gaza was besieged by Israeli forces from all directions.
Under his leadership, Adnan successfully launched rockets like “Yassin,” “Qassam,” and others such as “Bana,” “Batar,” and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). — DSA