This Is Probably The Saddest Story You’ll Read About Five-Year-Old Aisha Lulu

This Is Probably The Saddest Story You’ll Read About Five-Year-Old Aisha Lulu

Five-year-old Aisha Lulu from Gaza suffered from an aggressive brain stem tumor. Gaza's hospitals lack adequate equipment needed to treat cancer patients due to the Israeli blockade, so she was forced to seek treatment in the West Bank. As Israel controls Palestine’s borders, travel permits were sought for her family. Israel however, refused to grant permission for any of Aisha's family members to accompany her

Baby Aisha was sent alone, accompanied by a woman, a complete stranger to her, that had volunteered to accompany her, said that she was crying, unable to speak, and alone.

Aisha died today earlier this week due to complications after surgery

According to the Palestinian Minister of Health Mai Alkaila, Aisha Lulu, 5 years old, from al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, died after returning to Gaza from surgery in Jerusalem, and a harrowing journey through numerous Israeli checkpoints that she had to endure alone.

Alkaila stated, “How can a little child travel alone through Israeli checkpoints without being escorted by her mother, father or brother to provide her with affection and psychological support during treatment?”

According to the Palestinian Wafa News Agency, none of Lulu’s family members were allowed by Israel to be on her side in hospital as applications by her family members to accompany her to Jerusalem for her complicated brain surgery were denied.

She had to travel with a woman, who wasn’t her mother or even related to her, and was allowed by Israel to accompany her.

In a press statement, Alkaila added, “Aisha had to fight her disease alone, in a blatant disregard to international agreements, covenants and treaties on human rights, children’s rights, the right to health and access to health services in a safe manner,.”

According to Wafa, Aisha suffered psychologically throughout the entire ordeal, and was seen crying and calling for her mother loudly to be beside her in the hospital

Due to the Israeli siege imposed on Gaza since 2007, hundreds of Palestinian patients have died from being denied proper medical treatment. The hospitals in Gaza remain severely under-equipped, and sick Palestinians must travel to Israel or abroad because of the lack of treatment inside Gaza.