Gaza: The Health Ministry in Gaza issued a stark warning this week, declaring the state of cancer care in the besieged enclave “catastrophic” as chemotherapy treatments and medical follow-up services have come to a complete halt. According to a statement released Thursday, 64 percent of essential cancer medications are now out of stock, leaving an estimated 11,000 patients without access to critical care.
The collapse of oncology services follows the forced evacuation of both the European Hospital and the Gaza Cancer Centre—two of the Strip’s last remaining facilities equipped to handle cancer diagnoses and treatment. Their closures have pushed cancer patients into a vacuum of care, with no viable alternatives left inside Gaza and no clear path to seek treatment abroad.
“Cancer patients are trapped in catastrophic health, social, psychological and economic conditions,” the ministry said, underscoring how months of siege and bombardment have decimated Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure. Many patients are in advanced stages of illness and require regular chemotherapy or radiation—services now inaccessible under blockade and military restrictions.
The ministry called on international actors to pressure Israel to allow safe medical evacuations and the immediate entry of life-saving drugs. With borders sealed and most hospitals non-functional or operating at extreme capacity, thousands of patients face worsening symptoms and potentially preventable deaths.
The cancer care collapse is part of a broader medical crisis triggered by Israel’s ongoing assault, which has left over 54,000 Palestinians dead and more than 123,000 wounded since October 2023. Health officials and aid groups warn that without urgent international intervention, Gaza’s most vulnerable—including the sick, elderly, and children—will continue to suffer in silence amid deepening humanitarian collapse.
