Gaza: Hospitals in Gaza are facing an unprecedented medical emergency as more than half of the medicines for cancer and blood diseases have become unavailable due to Israel’s full closure of border crossings.
On April 22, 2025, Alaa Hilles, head of the hospital pharmacy department at Gaza’s Health Ministry, reported that 54% of critical drugs used in oncology and haematology are out of stock. The crisis has worsened over seven weeks of total blockade, halting the flow of medical aid and supplies into the besieged enclave.
According to Hilles, 37% of all essential medicines and 59% of basic medical disposables are currently unavailable. This shortage is disrupting healthcare across every department, including life-saving treatments for dialysis patients—24% of which are also missing. He warned that in some cases, switching to alternative medications can place patients' lives at even greater risk.
The United Nations marked 50 days since Gaza's crossings were sealed, confirming that not a single humanitarian aid truck has been allowed in since early March, regardless of urgency. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric emphasized that the closure is blocking all critical supplies. With hospitals stretched beyond capacity and resources vanishing, Gaza’s medical system is on the verge of total collapse.
