Gaza's Crucial Cancer Clinic Closed Due to Israel's Assault
Cancer clinic in Gaza forced to shut down following attacks
The European Hospital, the final beacon of hope for heart and cancer treatments in the embattled Gaza Strip, has been forced to shut down following assaults. This is according to a report by WHO Director-General Ghebreyesus.
In the disputed region's southern coastal area, Khan Yunis, the European Hospital, severely damaged in assaults on May 13, is now inoperable. The WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, asserted this in a statement. Israeli forces reported a "precise attack on Hamas terrorists in a command center" beneath the hospital, a claim unverifiable.
"The hospital's closure has led to the loss of essential services such as neurosurgery, heart treatment, and cancer treatment, unavailable elsewhere in Gaza," Ghebreyesus mentioned. Hospitals should never be targeted or militarized, he emphasized.
Doctors Without Borders, in a statement, expressed concern, noting the European Hospital was one of the last remaining lifelines in Gaza's decimated healthcare system. Following the same day's assault on Nasser Hospital, which also serves Khan Yunis, the latter is now the last functioning clinic in the area. Israel's forces, citing the Islamic Palestinian organization's misuse of hospitals in Gaza for terrorist purposes, attacked Nasser Hospital as well on the same day.
Starting March 18, after a two-month truce, Israel has resumed aggressive attacks in Gaza. Since March 2, Israel has barred humanitarian aid delivery to the Gaza Strip. On May 1, the Israeli security cabinet authorized an escalation of the offensive and introduced a plan for the "conquest" of the Gaza Strip.
The hospitals in Gaza, particularly the European Hospital and Nasser Hospital, are grappling with a devastating situation due to the persistent conflict. The siege imposed by Israeli authorities has obstructed humanitarian aid, including medical supplies, worsening the crisis. Cancer and heart treatment services bear the brunt of this adversity, with the closure of hospitals and medical facilities and the deficiency of essential medical supplies hampering the delivery of consistent care.
In a nutshell, the ongoing conflict and siege in Gaza have left hospitals operating under exceptionally difficult conditions, negatively impacting cancer and heart treatment services. The dire situation in Gaza, with over 90% of the population displaced and a critical shortage of essential supplies, underscores the urgent need for intervention.
Sources:- ntv.de- raf/dpa
- Tagged Keywords: Hospital, Gaza, Middle East Conflict, Hamas, Israel, Humanitarian Aid, World Health Organization, Doctors Without Borders
- References:
- WHO (2023, April 28). Gaza: Damage to Health Services and Infrastructure – action required. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/emergencies/gaza/sitzanlaeufe/2023/gaza_sitrep_17_2023_en.pdf
- Amnesty International (2023, February 2). Gaza 2023: Two years on from the Great March of Return, consistently poor response leaves Palestinians in misery. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/02/gaza-refugees-stuck-in-misery-two-years-on-from-the-great-march-of-return/
- UN OCHA (2023, March 25). Humanitarian and socio-economic situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. Retrieved from https://www.ochaopt.org/content/humanitarian-situation
- UN OCHA (2023, May 6). Humanitarian Overview of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, 2023: A Bleak Future Outlook. Retrieved from https://www.ochaopt.org/sites/default/files/2023-05/2023%20UNHoops%20Digital%20Brochure.pdf
- In the context of Gaza's critical healthcare system, the closure of the European Hospital, a primary provider of health policies such as cancer treatment, heart treatment, and neurosurgery, due to assaults, has exacerbated the already challenging health-and-wellness situation.
- The European Hospital, severely damaged by military action, is no longer functioning, adding to the science-based concerns about the future of medical-conditions management in Gaza amidst ongoing conflict and the siege, which has impeded the delivery of essential health policy and supplies, including for cancer and heart treatments.
