He was born in the Jabalia Refugee Camp in the Gaza Strip in 1958.

He studied in the UNRWA schools in the Jabalia camp and later attended universities in the Gaza Strip.

He ran as an independent candidate for the Palestinian Legislative Council in 1996 and served as a member for ten years.

He held the position of Chairman of the Human Rights Monitoring Committee in the Legislative Council.

He is an independent Palestinian politician who served as Minister of Health in 2003 and Minister of Social Affairs in 2013. He also held the position of Presidential Advisor for Human Rights and Civil Society at the ministerial level.

He headed several non-governmental organizations working in the fields of human rights and civil society.

He also served as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Al-Aqsa University in Gaza, a member of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, Chairman of the Board of Friends of Al-Aqsa University Association, Chairman of the Board of the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, Chairman of the National Center for Studies and Documentation, and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Coalition for Accountability and Integrity ("AMAN").

He played an important and influential role in mediating between Fatah in the West Bank and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. He is considered one of the key and respected figures among all Palestinian factions.

He has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Yasser Arafat Foundation since its establishment.

He passed away in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, on March 10, 2025.