ASIATODAY.ID, GAZA – As the world marks World Cancer Day, the suffering of Gaza’s people is intensifying.
Thousands of cancer patients remain trapped inside a collapsing health system, deprived of essential medicines, diagnostic services, and access to life-saving treatment abroad.
At Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest medical facility, Munther Abu Foul lies in bed, too weak to move.
“We are dying. Every day, two to three patients die inside this hospital,” he says.
“I cannot get out of bed because of the pain. We want a solution — open the crossings.”
His words echo across oncology wards throughout the Strip, where patients face worsening illness and untreated pain amid severe shortages of medical supplies.
11,000 Patients Without Specialist Care
Local health organizations estimate that around 11,000 cancer patients in Gaza are currently deprived of specialized treatment or diagnostic services.
Approximately 4,000 patients who received medical referrals for treatment outside Gaza have been waiting for more than two years, unable to leave the territory.
Inside Al-Shifa’s oncology department, corridors are crowded with patients waiting for therapies that are no longer available. Essential medicines are scarce.
Medical equipment is damaged or non-functional. Many patients endure chronic pain that leaves them barely able to move.
“Every Day, Someone Dies”
Munther flips through medical transfer papers issued long ago for treatment abroad — papers that have yet to translate into permission to travel.
“The health situation in Gaza has collapsed. There is no treatment, no medicine. We are dying,” he says.
“Every day, two or three patients die in this hospital.”
Nearby, Mohamed Hammou tends to his elderly mother, also battling cancer. He says families are forced to watch their loved ones deteriorate without adequate care.
“We stand in front of a patient who is dying without treatment or medical facilities. This is not humane,” he says, appealing to the international community for urgent action.
Worsening Conditions After Years of Delay
In another ward, Raed Abu Warda cares for his brother Hamid, whose condition has deteriorated after two years of waiting for permission to seek treatment outside Gaza.
What began as a minor illness has turned life-threatening.
“He has been suffering for two years, waiting for the crossing to open,” Raed explains.
“His pain is increasing every day.”
He gestures toward an open wound beneath his brother’s chin — a visible reminder of a disease left untreated for too long.
18,000 Awaiting Medical Evacuation
The limited reopening of the Rafah crossing has offered a small measure of hope. The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting medical evacuations for patients and their companions, ensuring safe transport.
Yet the scale of need far exceeds current capacity.
According to WHO, more than 18,000 patients — including around 4,000 children — are waiting for medical evacuation abroad.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that over 1,200 patients have died while waiting for medical evacuation, based on figures from Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
Around 4,000 cancer patients remain on critical waiting lists, caught between restricted crossings and a health system pushed beyond its limits.
“All We Ask Is a Chance to Live”
For patients like Munther Abu Foul, time is running out.
“We are dying,” he repeats. “All we ask for is a chance to live.”
On World Cancer Day — a day dedicated globally to hope, prevention, and treatment — Gaza’s cancer patients are fighting not only disease, but isolation, scarcity, and the relentless passage of time. (AT Network)
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