DaysofPal – The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has warned that cancer patients are facing one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the territory, with their health prospects growing increasingly uncertain as specialized medical care has nearly collapsed.
Around 11,000 cancer patients in Gaza are currently denied access to specialized treatment and diagnostic services, both within the enclave and outside of it, the ministry said in a statement released on World Cancer Day.
Nearly 4,000 patients who received medical referrals for treatment outside Gaza more than two years ago remain unable to travel because border crossings continue to be closed and patient movement is obstructed.
The ministry said the shutdown of specialized hospitals, combined with the extensive destruction of the Gaza Cancer Centre, has sharply intensified patients’ suffering. This damage has severely depleted the healthcare system’s capacity, particularly in the supply of chemotherapy drugs and diagnostic and follow-up equipment.
According to the statement, 64 percent of cancer medications have completely run out. Essential diagnostic tools, including MRI scanners and specialized imaging devices used for breast cancer detection, are also unavailable. The absence of these services has led to rapid deterioration in patients’ health conditions and delayed diagnoses.
The ministry added that cancer patients in Gaza are living under a compounded medical, social, psychological, and economic siege, describing conditions as catastrophic and incompatible with basic rights to treatment and a dignified life.
The Ministry of Health urged all relevant local and international actors to take immediate action to allow cancer patients to travel for treatment abroad, ensure the unrestricted entry of essential medications, and rehabilitate damaged healthcare facilities.
It stressed that such steps are required under humanitarian and legal obligations toward Gaza’s civilian population.
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