Image Source: Daily Pakistan
Gaza – Known as the “Newton of Gaza” among the residents of Rafah Refugee Camp, 15-year-old Hossam Al-Attar persists in his innovative initiatives despite the hardships and displacements resulting from Israel’s war in Gaza.
Throughout the war, Israel implemented inhumane measures such as blocking the entry of food, water, fuel, and electricity into the enclave, which are directly responsible for the deaths of many Palestinians. Despite the International Court’s rulings on the allowance of humanitarian aid to Gaza, Israel continues to hinder its delivery to the Palestinian people.
Compounding the crisis is the fact that over half of Gaza’s population is displaced in the southern part of the Strip, where they are still facing relentless bombings along with severe shortages of water and food. At the same time, the camp remains devoid of electricity and fuel.
In a remarkable response to these imposed challenges, especially the lack of electricity, Al-Attar, motivated and determined to support and help his family, ingeniously devised a solution to bring electrical power to his residence.
Utilising only discarded and scrap materials scavenged from the camp, he constructed windmills capable of generating sufficient electricity to illuminate his home, offering a beacon of light amidst the prevailing darkness.
“Newton was sitting under an apple tree when an apple fell on his head, and he discovered gravity. Here, we are living in darkness and tragedy. The rockets are falling down on us. Therefore, I thought of creating light.”
While the accomplishment might be remarkable and inventive, considering the challenging and devastating circumstances faced by 1.4 million Palestinians in Rafah, Al-Attar stressed that he is not the only one. There are numerous talented and intelligent young Palestinians within the camp who share a common aspiration to build a brighter future for the Palestinians.
“I’m calling for Arab countries and the rest of the world to end this war. So that I can pursue my dreams and so that others can pursue theirs too.”
SMread| Resistance is not terrorism – China at ICJ
The Whitewashing of Genocidal History
Approximately 30 000 innocent Palestinians, men, women and children, have lost their lives due to the ongoing bombardment, blockade, and deprivation imposed by the Apartheid Israeli regime and their imperialist Western allies.
Throughout this genocide, they have continuously called for the death of Palestinians and labelled innocent Palestinians like Al-Attar as terrorists, referring to them with derogatory terms and racial slurs in an attempt to dehumanise them.
By doing so, the Israelis aim to evade accountability for the annual deaths of thousands of Palestinians who live across all occupied territories. As such, we refuse to be desensitised by such tactics, especially when Palestinians persist in demonstrating resilience and strength amid the death and devastation which surrounds them.
It is commonly stated that those in power shape history, and we have witnessed the extensive influence of Israeli and Western propaganda attempting to manipulate the Palestinian narrative, portraying victims like Al-Attar and thousands of others as aggressors.
Yet, these efforts have faltered. People worldwide, from diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and nationalities, united by shared histories of colonialism, oppression, and vilification, have collectively declared that the Palestinian narrative will not be distorted by imperialism. This time, we are determined to hold them accountable.
