Born in Gaza; physician; early education in Gaza and Jerusalem; M.D. graduate from American University in Beirut, 1943; worked in British Government Hospital of Jaffa after graduation, later as medical officer in the Jordanian army; returned to Gaza in 1945 and opened a private practice; member of the Arab Medical Society since 1945; director for medical services in the Gaza Strip, 1957-60; head of the Gaza Parliament's Legislative Council from 1962-65; member of the first all-Palestinian conference convened in Jerusalem in 1964, which established the PLO, deported to Lebanon in 1970 for PLO activities; head of Palestinian Red Crescent in Gaza since 1972; head of the Palestinian delegation to the Madrid Conference in 1990; led the Palestinian negotiation team for 22 months in the Washington talks.