No ice, so he pours rubble

Palestinian journalist Ayman al Aloul wanted to launch his version of the Internet craze.

His aim was to raise awareness of the conditions faced by those living in the conflict-hit Gaza Strip.

Mr al Aloul said: "I have to do something and to send a message all over the world about Gaza."

But water is a precious resource there and, also, ice is difficult to make there.

"The use of water is more important than to empty over our heads," he said. "And even if the water is available, it is difficult to freeze it."

So he came up with the idea of using rubble, reported the Daily Mail.

He filmed a video on a Gaza street destroyed by bombs, saying that he liked the idea of the Ice Bucket Challenge, but could not justify using water.

He used rubble taken from the remains of buildings destroyed by Israeli air strikes.

Mr al Aloul said he wanted people to offer their "solidarity and support" to the people of Gaza.

"It is not for specific people but for all people who sympathise with the Palestinian people," he said.

"We do not have water, but this is what we have. Perhaps I will not find water to wash up with when I get home."

His "Rubble Bucket Challenge" video was uploaded on Facebook on Saturday and had been "liked" almost 2,000 times by Monday.

Facebook and Twitter users have responded by posting videos with the hashtags #RemainsBucketChallenge, #rubblebucketchallenge and #dustbucketchallenge.

Mr al Aloul hoped that the Rubble Bucket Challenge would be seen as something for everyone to take part in.

DEAL REACHED

Meanwhile, a "permanent" ceasefire deal has been reached and an official announcement will be made in Egypt, where the agreement was mediated, a Gaza-based Hamas spokesman said yesterday.

The spokesman told Reuters: "An agreement has been reached between the two sides and we are awaiting the announcement from Cairo to determine the zero hour for implementation."

A spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined to comment, while a spokesman for the Palestinian Popular Resistance Committees, which, like Hamas, has been been firing rockets into Israel, said that an Egyptian announcement was imminent.

The seven weeks of fighting in Gaza have killed 2,137 Palestinians and 68 on the Israeli side.

This article was first published on Aug 27, 2014.
Get The New Paper for more stories.