Palestinians take ice bucket challenge to highlight Gaza crisis

A charity challenge sweeping Hollywood and much of the world to draw attention to Lou Gehrig’s Disease is being used to highlight the conditions in Gaza.

As part of the challenge, people film themselves being doused with a bucket of ice cold water, and then post the footage to social media including a message nominating several friends to do the same within 24 hours. They can either accept the challenge or donate to a Lou Gehrig's (also known as ALS or motor neurone disease) charity of their choice by way of forfeit.

Facebook's Mark Zuckerburg, Bill Gates, Jennifer Lopez, Oprah Winfrey and The Rock are among a slew of celebrities who have taken part in the challenge.

And now a Palestinian take on the challenge is making wide rounds on social media. 

In the video, which received 15,000 likes and 26,000 shares on the Facebook page of Palestinian radio station Raya FM, Fadl from Palestine tells the camera, "I heard about the ALS campaign, I support it and for that reason I'm taking this challenge".

He proceeds to tip a bucket over his head, but no water comes out. 

"Whoops," he says. "In Palestine, we live under occupation. The Israeli occupation is using all the Palestinian water resources. Israeli settlers are using seven times more than Palestinians per day. In the last month hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are living, and are still living, through a water crisis. Israel targets most of the water resources and lines [facilities] in Gaza. For that, we are sorry that we can't take part in this challenge."

The ALS Association have reported that they have "received $22.9 million in donations compared to $1.9 million during the same time period last year (July 29 to August 19). These donations have come from existing donors and 453,210 new donors to The Association."

ALS "is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Eventually, people with ALS lose the ability to initiate and control muscle movement, which often leads to total paralysis and death within two to five years of diagnosis. There is no cure and only one drug approved by the US. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that modestly extends survival," the association said.

The trending campaign continues to go viral as other celebrities including Robert Downey Jr, Charlie Sheen, Justin Beiber and Jennifer Lopez have participated in the past week.