"When the Gaza war began, Ismail Abu Naji was just 18 months old, his small body covered in swollen, bleeding lesions. Months earlier, doctors had diagnosed him with a rare blood cancer, one that, if untreated, is often a death sentence. In the weeks before the war, Ismail's family had arranged for him to be transferred to Al-Makassed hospital in Jerusalem, a charitable institution for Palestinians, for specialised care."
"But the blockade Israel imposed on Gaza after Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack that triggered the conflict meant Ismail could not leave the territory. He is now one of thousands of cancer patients in Gaza who the UN says require medical evacuation for urgent treatment. The Guardian has spoken to dozens of Palestinian cancer patients trapped in Gaza, where doctors say cancer-related deaths have tripled since the war began, as Israel continues to hinder patients from leaving and restricts the entry of chemotherapy drugs."
"The Israeli NGO Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) says evacuation routes to third countries have become near impossible to operate, especially since the closure of the Rafah crossing in May 2024, and that Israel is failing to meet its obligation to provide medical care to populations under its control. The crossing between Gaza and Egypt is due to open for traffic next week, the Palestinian technocratic committee leader, Ali Shaath, said on Thursday, although Israel did not immediately confirm that would be the case."
An 18-month-old child, Ismail Abu Naji, developed swollen, bleeding lesions from a rare blood cancer and could not be transferred for specialized care due to the Gaza blockade. Thousands of cancer patients in Gaza require urgent medical evacuation and chemotherapy, while doctors report cancer-related deaths have tripled since the war began. Evacuation routes to third countries have become near impossible to operate, particularly after the Rafah crossing closure in May 2024. Israel continues to hinder patient movement and restrict entry of chemotherapy drugs, and basic painkillers have become unattainable, leaving caregivers to provide minimal wound care.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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