Slow genocide: Death and displacement continue in Gaza months into ceasefire
Slow genocide: Death and displacement continue in Gaza months into ceasefire
While the conflict has paused, the toll on Gaza’s population remains relentless. For Najat Sayed al-Hessi, a 61-year-old resident of the enclave, the end of active combat has not halted her battle with cancer. She has waited 27 months for her monthly treatments, receiving none of the life-saving drugs she needs.
“Nothing has changed for cancer patients in Gaza since the ceasefire,” al-Hessi explained to Middle East Eye. “The disease continues to spread without intervention.”
Her journey for treatment was interrupted on 7 October 2023, the day hostilities began. Al-Hessi had planned to travel to Ramallah for her medication and injection but was unable to do so. Since then, she has remained in a makeshift tent in Deir al-Balah, enduring the slow progression of her illness.
The Palestinian health ministry reported that Israeli restrictions have crippled the medical system, with 56 percent of essential drugs, 68 percent of medical consumables, and 67 percent of lab supplies now inaccessible. Without these resources, patients like al-Hessi face grim realities. “The last time I saw a doctor, he told me the cancer may have reached my lungs. I am dying slowly,” she said.
Al-Hessi is one of 11,000 cancer patients in Gaza, many of whom rely on referrals for care outside the territory. Around 3,500 have such referrals, but they remain trapped due to closed borders. A recent visit to her local clinic for back pain revealed a stark shortage: no medications were available, leaving her without relief for a slipped disc and osteoporosis.
“I asked them to give me anything, at least some vitamins, but they said they had nothing for my case,” al-Hessi recalled.
Dr Muhammad Abunada, head of Gaza’s Cancer Centre, highlighted the critical shortage of drugs. “There is a 70 percent lack of cancer medications and painkillers,” he stated. “The remaining 30 percent are largely ineffective, as patients require combinations of drugs to manage their condition.”
According to the ministry, mortality rates among cancer patients have surged, with two or three deaths occurring daily now—compared to one per day before the war. “Thousands urgently need medical evacuation to receive care abroad, but they remain trapped,” Abunada noted.
Research indicates this crisis extends beyond cancer patients. UNICEf data shows a 75 percent spike in newborn deaths during the final three months of the conflict, with an average of 47 deaths per month in July-September—nearly double the 2022 average of 27. Even as the ceasefire takes effect, these threats persist.
Though military strikes have diminished, Israeli bombardments and gunfire continue to claim lives daily. Forced displacement remains a constant fear, as families lose their homes to ongoing incursions and land annexations. “We are still living under the same threats and circumstances, only with less noise,” said a resident, capturing the unrelenting reality of life in Gaza.
