Last Cancer Clinic in Gaza Shuts Down: The Devastating Impact of Ongoing Conflict
Cancer clinic in Gaza province forced to halt operations following assaults
The healthcare system in Gaza is reeling from yet another devastating blow. The European Hospital, a vital center for heart and cancer treatments, has been forced to close its doors following severe damage from Israeli attacks. The World Health Organization (WHO) chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, shared this disheartening news on his Twitter account. [Tweet]
In a precise attack on May 14, the Israeli army targeted the European Hospital in Khan Yunis, a southern, sealed-off region of the Gaza Strip, claiming it was a move against Hamas terrorists hiding in a command and control center under the hospital. However, the military's claims could not be independently verified. [Source: ntv.de, raf/dpa]
The European Hospital was one of the few lifelines in the shattered healthcare system of Gaza. Its closure has resulted in the loss of crucial services like neurosurgery, cardiac care, and cancer treatment - services that are scarce in Gaza. The WHO chief's tweet further stressed, "Hospitals must be protected. They must never be militarized or attacked."
Israel's attacks on the Nasser Hospital, another critical facility in Khan Yunis, are a testament to the ongoing conflict's impact on Gaza's healthcare infrastructure. Since March 18, following a two-month ceasefire, Israel resumed its relentless assaults in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli security cabinet approved an expansion of the offensive and plans for the "conquest" of the Gaza Strip at the beginning of May. Since March 2, Israel has been blocking humanitarian aid deliveries to the strip. [Source: ntv.de, raf/dpa]
Organizations like Doctors Without Borders (MSF) are deeply concerned about the current state of healthcare in Gaza. The European Hospital was the last functioning cancer clinic in the region after another hospital was destroyed. The WHO and other organizations have emphasized the pressing need for protection of healthcare facilities and maintenance of medical services in Gaza. [Source: MSF]
The healthcare system in Gaza is now more strained than ever. Most hospitals are partially functional and overwhelmed, making access to essential services like cancer treatment nearly impossible for many residents. The need for humanitarian assistance couldn't be more urgent. Nations like Jordan have condemned the targeting of hospitals, while organizations like WHO and MSF continue to advocate for the protection of healthcare facilities and the provision of urgent aid. [Source: MSF]
- Healthcare
- Gaza
- Middle East Conflict
- Hamas
- Israel
- Humanitarian Aid
- World Health Organization
- Doctors Without Borders
- The recent closure of the European Hospital in Gaza, a key provider of heart and cancer treatments, has intensified the healthcare crisis in the region due to the ongoing Middle East Conflict.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) and other humanitarian organizations, such as Doctors Without Borders (MSF), have emphasized the urgent need for protection of healthcare facilities like the European Hospital in Gaza.
- The Islamic terrorist group Hamas, which operates in the Gaza Strip, has been accused of using healthcare facilities as cover for military operations, risking the lives of patients and staff.
- The ongoing conflict in Gaza, where Israel and Hamas continue to clash, has led to the need for immediate international intervention to prevent further damage to the struggling healthcare system and to provide essential medical-conditions services like cancer treatment to the affected community.
