Gazans Burn Plastic Waste to Produce Fuel

A Palestinian burns plastic waste to produce alternative fuel amid scarcity as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, in northern Gaza Strip, September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa Purchase Licensing Rights
A Palestinian burns plastic waste to produce alternative fuel amid scarcity as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, in northern Gaza Strip, September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa Purchase Licensing Rights
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Gazans Burn Plastic Waste to Produce Fuel

A Palestinian burns plastic waste to produce alternative fuel amid scarcity as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, in northern Gaza Strip, September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa Purchase Licensing Rights
A Palestinian burns plastic waste to produce alternative fuel amid scarcity as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, in northern Gaza Strip, September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa Purchase Licensing Rights

With Israel blocking the entry of almost all fuel into Gaza to prevent its use by Hamas, some Palestinians in the north of the shattered territory have turned to using plastic waste to make their own.

"We walk for long distances to collect plastic and bring it from collapsed buildings and towers. Sometimes I'm afraid of reconnaissance (by Israeli military) and I'm afraid of rubble falling on me while I'm walking," Mostafa Mosleh, 16, said, holding items he'd picked up during his 13-hour daily rounds.

His relative, Mahmoud Mosleh, sorts out the items with other workers, cuts it into smaller parts and then burns them in a makeshift oven set up between the remains of buildings, Reuters reported.

"I had the idea, and thank God, we managed with the help of God to turn plastic into gasoline and fuel," the 35-year-old displaced Gazan said. "We turned to this work due to the acute shortage of petroleum products".

Other Palestinians, like 53-year-old driver Farid Gomaa, head to Beit Lahia in the northern part of the strip to get some of the fuel produced by burning plastic, braving clashes between Hamas militants and Israeli forces and widespread Israeli airstrikes.

"We come here amid the danger and we take a long commute to get a litre of fuel, which is cheaper than in other places," he said.

The process of burning plastic is mired in challenges, and burns are a risk as well as bombardment, but after 11 months of war, the Gazans undertaking it are stoical.

"We walk with God's protection," Mahmoud said.



With Hospitals Full in Lebanon, Family Flees to Give Birth in Iraq

Lubana Ismail, a displaced Lebanese woman who fled from her home in Tyre due to Israeli bombardments in Southern Lebanon, holds her newborn baby girl, Zahraa, to whom she gave birth in Iraq, as she sits with her family at a hotel in Najaf, Iraq, October 7, 2024. (Reuters)
Lubana Ismail, a displaced Lebanese woman who fled from her home in Tyre due to Israeli bombardments in Southern Lebanon, holds her newborn baby girl, Zahraa, to whom she gave birth in Iraq, as she sits with her family at a hotel in Najaf, Iraq, October 7, 2024. (Reuters)
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With Hospitals Full in Lebanon, Family Flees to Give Birth in Iraq

Lubana Ismail, a displaced Lebanese woman who fled from her home in Tyre due to Israeli bombardments in Southern Lebanon, holds her newborn baby girl, Zahraa, to whom she gave birth in Iraq, as she sits with her family at a hotel in Najaf, Iraq, October 7, 2024. (Reuters)
Lubana Ismail, a displaced Lebanese woman who fled from her home in Tyre due to Israeli bombardments in Southern Lebanon, holds her newborn baby girl, Zahraa, to whom she gave birth in Iraq, as she sits with her family at a hotel in Najaf, Iraq, October 7, 2024. (Reuters)

Lubana Ismail had just fled her village in southern Lebanon with her husband and two children when she went into labor. She had swollen veins in her uterus and needed immediate medical supervision to give birth safely.

They searched for a hospital in Beirut or Sidon that would admit her, but all were full of the dead and wounded.

"No hospital accepted me. We were turned away everywhere until my father suggested we go to Iraq," she recounted.

So they boarded a flight and flew to Najaf. It was there, in a former war zone 1,000 km (600 miles) from home, that Lubana finally gave birth to baby Zahraa, healthy and safe.

The proud father, Fouad Youssef, recounted the perils of their evacuation.

"At first, we went to Tyre, but a strike hit directly next to us. We decided to go to Beirut, thinking it would be safer, but even on the way, a strike hit near us,” he said.

"During our two days of displacement, I tried to get my wife into a hospital because her labor was difficult. But due to the high number of injuries and martyrs, there were no vacancies."

More than a million Lebanese have fled their homes since Israel intensified its airstrikes and launched a ground campaign in southern Lebanon against the Hezbollah movement which has been striking Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians.

Imran Riza, UN humanitarian coordinator, said the pace of displacement since Sept. 23 had exceeded worst case scenarios, and too much damage was being done to civilian infrastructure.

Najaf is accustomed to handling the emergency medical needs of foreigners, and Iraqis have endured almost two decades of war at home. But receiving refugees from Lebanon is unexpected. Iraq's interior ministry says around 5,700 Lebanese have arrived so far.

Lubana and Fouad are grateful to have found a safe place to bring their family and give birth to their daughter. But they have no idea what will come next.

"We are afraid the war will go on for a long time. What will happen to our children? We were preparing them for school, but now there is no education. Are we going to stay here? Are we leaving? Are we going back to our country?" pondered Youssef, watching news of the destruction in Lebanon on his mobile screen.