Full Breakdown
Gaza’s Breast Cancer Crisis Deepens Amid Ongoing Conflict
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: War-Induced Collapse of Breast Cancer Care
Since the October 2023 escalation, Gaza’s health system cannot provide timely breast-cancer diagnosis, treatment, or medical evacuation. Patients such as 36-year-old Hiba Musbah have faced months-long delays for surgery, chemotherapy and imaging, while thousands await permits for radiotherapy abroad.
Background & Context
Before the war, the Gaza Ministry of Health reported an average of 360 new breast-cancer cases per year. The ministry’s 2024 and 2025 figures fell to 250 and ?260 cases, likely under-representing the true burden as screening services have collapsed. Repeated bombardments have destroyed 94 % of hospitals (WHO) and seized the enclave’s only dedicated cancer centre.
Data & Statistics
- Diagnostic capacity: Pre-war Gaza had ?15 mammography machines; only three remain functional.
- Treatment shortages: Chemotherapy, hormonal, targeted therapies and radiotherapy are critically scarce.
- Patient mortality while waiting: Physicians for Human Rights Israel estimates 1,570 deaths, including 505 cancer patients.
- Medical-evacuation backlog: The Palestinian health ministry cites ?21,000 patients waiting months for exit permits.
On-the-Ground Reports
- Hiba Musbah (Deir el-Balah) has completed seven chemotherapy cycles but still lacks a CT scan and has waited two years for a travel permit.
- Najat Abu al-Sheikh (Gaza City) received chemotherapy and a mastectomy but cannot complete radiotherapy abroad; her evacuation request from April 2026 remains pending.
- Dr Iman al-Haj Ahmad, obstetrician-gynaecologist at Hikmat al-Jamei Health Centre, notes the need to seek private mammography and the exodus of specialists. She now receives hormonal therapy while awaiting radiotherapy abroad.
Official Statements & Responses
- The Gaza Ministry of Health’s October 1 statement warned that breakdowns of mammography machines and laboratory shortages have “severely restricted early detection.”
- WHO coordinates evacuation files with the Gaza Ministry, then submits them to Israeli authorities. WHO notes that entry permits take at least 2.5 months and requirements change frequently.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The ministry’s case numbers (250 in 2024, 260 in 2025) contrast with Dr Mohammed Abu Nada’s assessment that “these figures do not necessarily reflect the actual number of cases due to the disruption of diagnostic services.” The lack of comprehensive data hampers accurate assessment of the epidemic’s scale.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I want to travel, receive treatment and get better,” — Hiba Musbah
- “Not all advanced imaging services are available, including magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, nuclear scans and even mammography. Before the war, we had around 15 mammography machines. Now, there are only three across Gaza,” — Abu Nada, director of the Gaza Cancer Centre
What’s Next
The evacuation process remains contingent on Israeli security approvals. WHO indicates each permit application undergoes a minimum 2.5-month review, with no definitive timeline for the thousands awaiting travel. Health workers continue limited screening campaigns and rely on private imaging services, each costing roughly 150 shekels (? $48). Without a substantial increase in medical supplies, functional equipment, and unimpeded movement, Gaza’s breast-cancer patients face prolonged uncertainty and deteriorating outcomes.
