Gaza's war siege fuels worsening breast cancer crisis for women
The ongoing siege in Gaza has crippled medical services, leaving women like Esad Darwish and many others without timely breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.
The blockade imposed on Gaza since the war began has devastated the health sector, causing frequent failures of the mammography unit at Yafa Medical Hospital and a shortage of spare parts. Doctors such as Hala al-Buhaisi note a rise in women arriving with late-stage cancers, while over 4,000 patients remain unable to leave Gaza for specialized therapy. Delays in diagnosis reduce treatment options, and shortages of radiotherapy and chemotherapy drugs slow recovery.
Patients also lack essential mental-health support as daily life remains fraught with insecurity. The case of 28-year-old Marah Ghabayen, who suffered cardiac arrests while awaiting treatment and later died, underscores the human toll of these systemic failures.
Why it matters
The story shows how war-induced health system collapse endangers thousands of women needing cancer care.
In this story
