Hisham Abdel Rizeq, a member of Fateh, became minister of prisoner affairs in 1998 and remained in that position until the government formed in February 2005.
Abdel Rizeq was born in 1953 in Rafah in the Gaza Strip, although his family is originally from Zarnuqa (now Rehovot in Israel). He holds a BA in Israeli studies from al-Quds University. He was imprisoned by Israel for 21 years for his political activism and wrote two poetry collections and a novel while in prison. He was released in 1994. Upon his release he became a member of the higher committee of Fateh in Gaza. He was elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council in 1996 to represent the Jabaliya district.