Obliterator: The Closure of Gaza's Last Cancer Clinic
Cancer clinic in Gaza forced to shut down following assaults
In the wake of relentless Israeli military onslaughts, the Gaza European Hospital - the final beacon of hope for critical heart, neurosurgery, and cancer treatments - has succumbed to ruin, leaving no viable alternatives for patients in need. The facility situated in Khan Yunis was savagely mutilated on May 13, causing irreparable damage [1-3].
This devastation echoed across the coastal region, as the Nasser Hospital - the solitary operational clinic in Khan Yunis - also suffered attacks on the same day. While it still functions, the hospital operates under strained capacity due to the malevolent strikes [1-3].
The loss of the Gaza European Hospital has sent ripples through the already teetering healthcare infrastructure in Gaza, for it was not only the sole provider of cancer treatment but also a pivotal hub for medical evacuations and exclusive services such as neurosurgery and cardiac care [3-4]. This calamitous situation deepens an ongoing humanitarian crisis in the trapped Gaza Strip [1-3].
Doctors Without Borders have branded the crippled European Hospital as "one of the last surviving lifelines in the decimated healthcare system of the Gaza Strip" [4].
The political climate surrounding this tragedy remains tense, as Israel, on the pretext of exacting retribution against Hamas terrorists, has resumed its full-scale onslaught on the Gaza Strip following a two-month truce [5]. The Israeli government, accusing Hamas of utilizing hospitals for nefarious purposes, has also barred humanitarian aid deliveries since March 2 [5].
References
- ntv.de
- raf/dpa
- Int'l Middle East Media Center
- Doctors Without Borders
- Al-Jazeera
- The devastation of the Gaza European Hospital, a critical facility providing cancer treatments, heart surgery, and neurosurgery, is a significant blow to the already fragile health policy in Gaza.
- The science of medicine has once again taken a backseat in war-and-conflicts, as the healthcare infrastructure in Gaza struggles under the weight of medical-conditions like cancer, with the loss of the Gaza European Hospital serving as a prime example.
- In the heart of politics, the Israeli government's actions to bar humanitarian aid deliveries and continue military onslaughts have further exacerbated health-and-wellness issues, especially those related to cancer, in the Gaza Strip.
- Community policy is under fire as the closure of the Gaza European Hospital and the targeting of medical facilities in general news reports now paint a bleak picture of health policy in the Gaza Strip, where cancer patients are left without options and access to life-saving treatments.
