Tragedy in Gaza: Lara’s story

Death in Gaza does not only come via the bombs; the dire circumstances claim people in lots of ways. 

People like Lara Jiries Al Sayegh. Lara's story is one of resilience in the face of overwhelming adversity. 

In the last few months, she lost her dad to heart complications, when he wasn’t able to get the drugs that were keeping him alive. 

Lara’s brother too had been ill and was reliant on kidney dialysis before the war started. When dialysis stopped in Gaza, he fled to Egypt where he was able to get a transplant from a family member. Sadly, it failed and he too died. 

Together with three other families, Lara and her mother set out on the long and exhausting journey by foot to Egypt but she didn’t make it. Restricted by Israeli regulations to minimal possessions and exposed to the blistering heat, Lara succumbed to dehydration, her young life extinguished in a heart-breaking moment of exhaustion. 

Now at rest in the Al Zawaideh area of south Wadi Gaza, Lara's tragic death serves as a stark reminder of the harsh realities endured by Gazan families. Her fate highlights the dire conditions faced by many, from the loss of loved ones to the relentless struggle for basic necessities and medical care.  

In the wake of Lara's untimely death, her story resonates as a call to action. It highlights the urgent need for humanitarian assistance in conflict-ridden regions and urges compassion for those grappling with unimaginable suffering. May Lara's soul find peace, and may her memory inspire meaningful change to alleviate the plight of others in similar, and even more dire, circumstances.