15-year-old Hussam Al-Attar has been nicknamed the ‘Newton of Gaza’ after successfully generating electricity in his tent with basic tools. 

 

His family fled to Rafah from the north after being displaced and have been living as refugees. Hussam used household items he found at a scrap market to light up his family’s tent.  

 

“I felt sorry for my mother, father, and siblings due to the complete darkness here, so I thought of creating this to ease the suffering we are going through during the war,” the teen said. 

 

Hussam explained a system of fans connected to wires that led to his tent, which generated electricity. His first two attempts failed and it took him a while to develop a successful system. 

 

"Newton was sitting under an apple tree when an apple fell on his head and he discovered gravity. And we here are living in darkness and tragedy, and rockets are falling on us, therefore I thought of creating light, and did so," he said. 

 

Rafah is home to more than 2.3 million Gazans who were displaced and fled for their safety. Despite U.S. and U.N. pleas for Israel not to attack Rafah, the Israeli military launched airstrikes and bombed the crowded refugee site, trapping millions of civilians. 

 

Conditions have worsened as the death toll has risen to nearly 30,000 civilians, with more injured and trapped under rubble. On Wednesday Netanyahu rejected Hamas's proposal for a ceasefire, calling it ‘delusional’ and claiming ‘total victory’ in Gaza is within reach. 

 

Gazans have come up with various ways to overcome and live through their tragedy. A food shortage has encouraged thousands to turn to animal food, grinding it to flour and cooking it so they don’t starve to death. Children are being sheltered in chicken coops and animal sheds to protect them from harsh weather. 

 

Hussam Al-Attar is one of the many brilliant minds in Palestine whose hopes and dreams are being overshadowed by brutal war and occupation. 

 

Edited By: Josh Reidelbach