Middle East Monitor / February 16, 2023
Israel’s ongoing siege on the Gaza Strip is aggravating the suffering of the 350 children suffering from cancer in the enclave, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) said yesterday.
In a statement the PCHR said: “The children suffering from cancer in Gaza face a long and difficult journey of treatment due to the Israeli practices and the outcomes of the internal Palestinian division.”
The PCHR noted that 9,000 cancer patients in Gaza, including 350 children, are facing “disastrous” conditions due to the chronic lack of medicines and treatment.
It also said that the Israeli ban on the entry of medical equipment and laboratory tools and materials multiplies the suffering of cancer patients.
“Israel imposes restrictions on the travel of children with cancer and their companions,” the PCHR said, pointing out that 272 applications out of 1,000 were hindered in 2022. This led to the death of three children.
Most patients with serious diseases in Gaza depend on treatment either in the Palestinian hospitals in the occupied West Bank or in Israel.
The PCHR reported that 16 children suffering from cancer died in 2022.
