Gaza's cancer sufferers face soaring deaths as Israeli limits block treatment

Since Israel demolished Gaza's sole cancer treatment center, roughly 17,000 patients lack access to chemotherapy or other advanced therapies. Israeli military agency COGAT coordinates evacuations with the World Health Organization, but departures depend on a formal request from the destination country and security clearance. To date, about 5,800 patients have left for Egypt, far below the numbers anticipated under the 2025 ceasefire agreement, while 20,000 remain awaiting permission, including 5,000 cancer cases.

Physicians note daily cancer-related deaths have climbed to three-to-five, up from one-to-two before the conflict, attributing the surge to treatment shortages and possible contamination from explosives. Individual stories, such as 33-year-old Khuloud Abu Sahmoud, illustrate the desperate wait for a chance to receive care abroad. The broader health system in Gaza is crippled, with hospitals operating at up to 70% below essential supply levels and many specialist doctors killed during the war.