Young Palestinian sets himself on fire

A young Palestinian set himself on fire and suffered severe burns on Friday, an official of the Gaza Strip's ruling Hamas movement said on Friday, without specifying the youth's motive. "Mohammed Zuhayr al-Khodari suffered severe burns after setting himself on fire in the town of Khan Yunis" in southern Gaza, health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told AFP, adding that the youth was in intensive care. In September, 17-year-old Palestinian Ehab Abu al-Nada died four days after setting himself alight. He had struggled to find employment in Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade since 2006. The rate of unemployment in Gaza is 30 percent, and is more acute among young people at 45 percent, according to international financial institutes.