: The Gaza Ministry of Health stated on Wednesday that cancer patients in the Gaza Strip are facing one of the most severe humanitarian crises, as the near-total collapse of specialized healthcare has left thousands without treatment and their medical future uncertain.
In a statement marking World Cancer Day, the ministry said that around 11,000 cancer patients in Gaza are being denied specialized diagnostic and therapeutic care, both inside the enclave and abroad.
It added that nearly 4,000 patients who received medical referrals for treatment outside Gaza more than two years ago are still unable to travel due to the continued closure of crossings and restrictions on patient movement.
The ministry explained that the shutdown of specialized hospitals, along with the extensive destruction of the Gaza Cancer Center, has greatly worsened patient suffering and depleted essential medical resources, including chemotherapy drugs and diagnostic equipment.
According to the statement, 64 percent of cancer medications are now completely unavailable, while critical diagnostic tools—such as MRI scanners and breast cancer imaging devices—are out of service, accelerating the deterioration of patients’ health.
The ministry said cancer patients in Gaza are enduring a compounded medical, psychological, social, and economic crisis under catastrophic conditions that deprive them of their basic rights to treatment and a dignified life.
It called on local and international bodies to take urgent action to allow cancer patients to travel for treatment abroad, ensure the unrestricted entry of life‑saving medicines, and rehabilitate damaged healthcare facilities in accordance with humanitarian and legal obligations toward Gaza’s civilian population.
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