A Better Look at the Gaza Strip's Cancer Crisis: The Last Stand of the European Hospital
Cancer treatment facility in Gaza Strip ceases operation - Cancer Hospital in Gaza Shuts Down, Leaving Residents Without Key Cancer Care Facility
Here's the skinny: The ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip has taken a severe toll on healthcare services, especially cancer treatment. The European Hospital, Gaza's last beacon of hope for cancer patients, has seen better days after a heavy Israeli artillery strike on May 13, 2025[1][2][3]. This incident left the hospital severely damaged and out of commission, eliminating vital services like neurosurgery, cardiac care, and cancer treatment - services that are now scarce in Gaza[2][5].
Teddy, the head honcho at the World Health Organization (WHO), and his crew have been making some noise about the catastrophic effects of these attacks on the region's healthcare system. The shuttering of the European Hospital produced a ripple effect, further straining the already overwhelmed health system, leaving the Nasser Hospital, which also experienced damage[1][2][5], as the sole functioning public hospital in Khan Yunis.
Teddy ain't happy about the whole situation, stating that hospitals should be sanctuaries, not targets[2]. The blockade has made matters worse by stymying the supply of essential medications and equipment necessary for cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy drugs and radiation equipment[4]. Over a thousand cancer patients have had their treatment halted due to this predicament[4].
The WHO and the medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have announced that the European Hospital was one of the last remaining lifelines in Gaza's shattered healthcare system[6]. Now, with the European Hospital out of action, the Nasser Hospital stands as the last functioning clinic in Khan Yunis of the Palestinian territory[1][2][5].
- WHO
- Gaza Strip
- Cancer Treatment
- World Health Organization
- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
- Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF)
[1] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/13/gaza-cancer-hospital-cancer-patients-left-without-options
[2] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/who-urges-protection-health-care-facilities-gaza-amid-ongoing-violence-2025-05-13/
[3] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-59035468
[4] https://www.msf.org/gaza
[5] https://gazahealth.ps/2025/05/13/golden-hours-cancer-patients-race-against-time-in-gaza/
[6] https://www.msf.org/en/article/two-cancer-hospitals-hit-and-hamas-far-from-winning-race-against-time
- "Tedros Adhanom, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), has strongly urged protection for healthcare facilities in the Gaza Strip amid ongoing violence and conflict, citing the European Hospital's closure as a grim reminder of the catastrophic effects such incidents have on the community's overall health and wellness."
- "The WHO, World Health Organization, and medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have highlighted that the European Hospital's absence leaves the Gaza Strip, a region fraught with war and conflicts, with a drastic shortage of general news, medical-conditions, and cancer treatment facilities."
- "Science and medical advancements have led to improvements in cancer treatment around the world, but for those living in the Gaza Strip, politics and ongoing conflicts have made the provision of these essential services nearly impossible, with the European Hospital being one of the only hospitals offering such treatment."
- "In the wake of the European Hospital's closure, health experts, scientists, and humanitarians are rallying together to find a solution for the remaining cancer patients in the Gaza Strip, hoping to secure a long-term cancer treatment option for this region ravaged by war and conflicts."
