Key facts
- Kholoud Abu Sahmoud, a 33-year-old Palestinian mother of two, is suffering from liver cancer.
- She has been waiting for urgent medical evacuation for nine months for treatment unavailable in Gaza.
- Gaza's healthcare system faces critical shortages of chemotherapy drugs and medical supplies due to Israeli restrictions.
- Around 11,000 cancer patients are in Gaza, with at least 4,000 issued referrals awaiting permission to leave.
- Over 1,570 people have died waiting for medical evacuation from Gaza since October 2023.
Kholoud Abu Sahmoud, a 33-year-old Palestinian mother of two and university professor, is battling liver cancer in a makeshift shelter in southern Gaza, facing a critical lack of suitable treatment due to the ongoing Israeli siege. After undergoing 15 rounds of chemotherapy that proved ineffective and caused severe side effects, she was informed that the drugs available in the Gaza Strip were not appropriate for her condition.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, chemotherapy treatment for various types of cancer has largely ceased due to severe shortages of specialized oncology medicines. Approximately 11,000 cancer patients are in Gaza, with at least 4,000 having received medical referrals and awaiting permission to leave for treatment. Dr. Muhammed Abu Nada, director of the Gaza Centre for Cancer, stated that expired medicines have been used due to shortages, and even those have run out, leading to an increased mortality rate.
Abu Sahmoud, whose referral for treatment abroad was approved nine months ago, remains stranded in Gaza, enduring deteriorating health, including shortness of breath, abdominal swelling, and significant weight loss. She describes her situation as "endless waiting," with her health worsening daily. Israel has severely restricted medical referrals and evacuations since October 2023, with only a fraction of the thousands of critically ill patients able to leave. The dire living conditions in overcrowded shelters further exacerbate the health crisis for displaced individuals like Abu Sahmoud.