Gaza (AsiaNews /
Agencies) - A 18 year old youth has died in Gaza after setting himself on fire
in protest against the harsh economic conditions of his family.
The young man, Eyhab Abu Nada, doused himself in oil before setting himself on
fire in front of Shifa hospital, five days ago. He died from burns on the night
of 2 September. Eyhab lived in Al-Shati refugee camp near Gaza City.
According to neighbors, the young man had an argument with his father before
the fatal act. His father Sufyan (in the picture, holding a poster with the
image of the son) instead said that his son is "a martyr to unemployment."
"We had no idea - Sufyan said - that he was going to set himself on fire.
Has called one of our friends on the phone and told her to say goodbye to his
mother. Days before, he was selling bags of chips on the road-side and the
municipal police was after him. " Previously, he added, Eyab had worked up
to 13 hours a day washing dishes for 30 shekels (about 7 U.S. dollars).
The Eyab family, eight in all, lives in dramatic economic conditions and the
young man had left school to help his father support the family.
According to the UN, unemployment is at 30% in the Gaza Strip. At least 80% of
households can not sustain themselves and receives food aid from international
organizations.
The economic conditions of the Palestinians in Gaza
has worsened since the blockade on the Gaza Strip established by Israel, which
makes it difficult to work outside the territory controlled by Hamas.
In the past there have been other Palestinians who set themselves on fire, but that
of Eyab is the first death. Other Palestinians survived and some are still
being treated for burns.
This self-immolation closely resembles that of Mohammed Bouazizi, the 26-year
old Tunisian university student and unemployed vendor harassed by the police,
whose death sparked the Arab Spring, first in Tunisia and then across the
Middle East.
In recent months, including Israeli veterans also died after setting themselves
on fire in protest at cuts in their pensions which did not allow them to live.