Sheikh Ahmed Yassin was a prominent Palestinian religious and political leader, best known as the founder of the Hamas movement in 1987. Born on March 1, 1937, in Gaza, he became a significant figure in the Palestinian struggle for independence. Despite being paralyzed from a young age due to a sports accident, Yassin was a charismatic leader who inspired many through his speeches and activism. Yassin's leadership of Hamas emphasized both social services and armed resistance against Israeli occupation. He was arrested multiple times by Israeli authorities and was a controversial figure, viewed as a terrorist by some and a freedom fighter by others. He was assassinated by an Israeli airstrike on March 22, 2004.