Cancer patients in Gaza: A slow death in Israeli prisons or waiting at border crossings
The tragedy of cancer patients in the Gaza Strip is worsening with the near-total collapse of the healthcare system, at a time when World Cancer Day, which was supposed to bring a glimmer of solidarity and hope to patients worldwide, was observed at the beginning of this month.
However, the reality in Gaza transforms this day into a harsh reflection of the suffering of approximately 11,000 to 12,000 patients facing imminent death due to the destruction of hospitals, a 70% shortage of medications, and the prevention of thousands of patients from traveling abroad for treatment.
Treatment has become an unattainable luxury after the complete shutdown of oncology, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy departments due to the destruction of hospitals and the scarcity of fuel and medications.
Early diagnosis and monitoring of tumor spread are impossible with the breakdown of MRI and CT scanners. Meanwhile, daily deaths are being recorded among patients, and the conditions of many others are deteriorating due to starvation and malnutrition in the harsh living conditions inside tents and shelters.
Medical referrals are piling up on waiting lists, while more than 3,000 patients are prevented from leaving the Strip for treatment after the closure of crossings, particularly following the takeover of the Rafah crossing. Amid the war, thousands of new cancer cases have been recorded, in an environment that weakens the immune system and exacerbates existing ailments. Breast, colon, lung, prostate, nasopharyngeal, and lymphoma cancers are among the most common.
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