With the military conflict escalating and the Israeli blockade tightening, cancer patients in Gaza Strip are facing an increasingly grave threat to their lives, with the healthcare system on the brink of collapse.
Even before the latest escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, medical referrals were a lifeline for cancer patients in the Gaza Strip, where the healthcare system is severely under-resourced. Many patients relied on transfers to hospitals outside Gaza for life-saving treatments. However, since the conflict erupted in October 2023, an intensified Israeli blockade has completely severed this fragile lifeline.
According to data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in August, while approximately 5,000 patients have been evacuated to countries like the UAE, Egypt, and Qatar for medical treatment, more than 10,000 cancer patients remain stranded in Gaza, awaiting transfers. Samir El Tawil, a cancer patient, was referred for treatment to Gaza‘s Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in May. However, due to a lack of essential medications and equipment, the hospital issued him a new referral, allowing him to seek care outside Gaza. Yet, six months later, El Tawil is still waiting for the necessary coordination to leave the besieged territory, while his condition continues to deteriorate.
"Every day, I grow weaker than the day before. My nervous system is failing, and it's as if I'm paralyzed. I need treatment. I want to recover," said El Tawil.
Samir Al-Sharbasi's wife was diagnosed with cancer in 2016. Since the recent escalation of violence, her treatment has been interrupted due to the complete collapse of Gaza's healthcare system. Now, she survives on painkillers, and the family endures daily anguish and despair.
"My wife can't access healthy food, no fruits, no vegetables. She needs thyroid surgery. I want to take her to Israel for treatment, but that's impossible now. To the world, I beg you - show us mercy. Look at our suffering. No one cares about our plight," said Al-Sharbasi.
The WHO has attempted to coordinate medical transfers for Gaza's cancer patients, but progress has been limited. Given the immense strain on Gaza's healthcare system and the overwhelming number of patients requiring urgent care, only small groups - typically 15 to 25 patients - have been successfully transferred at a time. Even the largest single transfer to date involved only 100 patients, a drop in the ocean compared to the needs of the more than 10,000 patients still stranded in Gaza.
"All of these patients hold medical referral documents approved by both Gaza’s health department and the Palestinian Ministry of Health. But tragically, even with the necessary authorizations, they cannot leave. The Rafah crossing is closed. The Erez crossing is closed. The Kerem Shalom crossing is closed. Every exit point around Gaza is shut down. How can these patients leave? They are enduring unimaginable suffering. A mechanism and solution must be devised to allow them to exit Palestine for treatment," said Mohammed Abu Afash, director of Medical Relief in the Gaza Strip.
As the blockade tightens and Gaza's healthcare system collapses, cancer patients like El Tawil and Al-Sharbasi's wife are left with little hope. Without immediate international intervention and a clear framework for medical evacuations, thousands of lives hang in the balance, a grim testament to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Cancer patients in Gaza struggle for life as Israeli blockade halts medical referrals
