Yafa Hospital records 40% rise in advanced breast cancer cases amid Israeli siege
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Yafa Hospital in Deir el-Balah has recorded a 40 percent or higher increase in advanced-stage cancer cases since the war began in October 2023. Doctors report women are arriving with advanced breast cancer as mammography and treatment access collapse under Israel’s siege.
Key Facts
- WHO estimates around 10,000 cancer cases in Gaza and more than 2,000 new cases diagnosed annually.
- The mammography machine at Yafa Medical Hospital in Deir el-Balah is frequently out of action and spare parts are hard to find.
- Esad Darwish, 42, noticed signs of breast cancer in early July but delayed seeing a doctor because the machine was unavailable.
- Physician Dr Hala al-Buhaisi said the war has stopped access to healthcare services responsible for detecting and treating breast cancer.
Oncology Care Under Siege
Since Israel tightened its siege after the war began in October 2023, Gaza has faced shortages of medicines, medical equipment, and specialised diagnostic services. The mammography machine at Yafa Medical Hospital in Deir el-Balah is frequently out of action and spare parts are hard to find. Physician Dr Hala al-Buhaisi said the war has stopped access to healthcare services responsible for detecting and treating breast cancer. Women are left in a cycle of confusion and exhaustion because proper diagnosis and treatment are difficult to obtain.
Patient Delays and Advanced Cases
Esad Darwish, 42, first noticed signs of breast cancer in early July but delayed seeing a doctor because the mammography machine was unavailable. Her responsibilities in Deir el-Balah, including cooking, washing, and caring for her family, kept taking her time. Since the beginning of the war, Yafa Hospital has recorded a 40 percent or higher increase in cases with advanced stages of cancer. Al-Buhaisi has noticed more women entering the hospital with advanced stages of cancer. Women are often too busy fetching water or cooking food to go to the hospital, tasks made more exhausting and dangerous by the war.
Gaza Cancer Burden
WHO estimates there are around 10,000 cancer cases in Gaza, with more than 2,000 new cases diagnosed annually. Breast cancer remains one of the most common types of cancer among women. Outcomes of the disease largely depend on early diagnosis and timely access to appropriate care, but these are difficult to find in a war zone.
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Yafa Hospital records 40% rise in advanced breast cancer cases amid Israeli siege
