Slow genocide: Death and displacement continue in Gaza months into ceasefire

Slow genocide: Death and displacement continue in Gaza months into ceasefire

The ceasefire has halted most bomb attacks, yet the health crisis persists in Najat Sayed al-Hessi’s body. Despite the pause in active warfare, the disease continues to progress unchecked, leaving her and thousands in similar situations without adequate care.

Al-Hessi, a 61-year-old resident of Gaza, has waited 27 months for her monthly cancer treatment. She has received no medication during this time, a stark reality for many in the enclave. “Nothing has changed for cancer patients since the ceasefire,” she explained to Middle East Eye, highlighting the ongoing struggle.

“I had an appointment to travel to Ramallah for my medication and injection on 7 October 2023, the day the war began,” she added from her makeshift tent in Deir al-Balah. “I couldn’t go that day, and I have been waiting ever since.”

Medical referrals to facilities outside Gaza have ceased, and local hospitals now struggle to provide basic care. Al-Hessi’s case is emblematic of a broader crisis, with nearly two million Gazans enduring severe conditions three months after the ceasefire.

Two years of Israeli bombardments have devastated civilian infrastructure and crippled the public health system. While the October ceasefire was seen as a chance for respite, it has instead shifted the conflict into a quieter, more sustained phase of suffering.

Israeli restrictions on border crossings, aid, and goods have left residents grappling with the same threats, albeit with reduced noise. For al-Hessi, the pause in fighting has brought no relief.

Al-Hessi is one of 11,000 cancer patients in Gaza. Of these, 3,500 hold medical referrals for treatment abroad, but Israeli authorities have denied them passage. Her referral, issued six months ago, has been rendered useless due to closed borders.

“I asked them to give me anything, at least some vitamins, but they said they had nothing for my case,” she recalled.

The Palestinian health ministry reported critical shortages across the sector, citing 56 percent of essential drugs, 68 percent of medical consumables, and 67 percent of lab supplies as unavailable. Screening services have also vanished, leaving patients unaware of their disease’s progression.

“The last time I saw a doctor, he told me the cancer may have reached my lungs. I am dying slowly.”

Dr Muhammad Abunada, head of the Gaza Cancer Centre, noted a 70 percent shortage in cancer medications and painkillers. “The remaining 30 percent are largely ineffective,” he said, as Israeli restrictions prevent the import of necessary supplies.

“If a cancer patient needs three types of drugs, usually only one or two are available, while the others are missing. This makes the drugs they do have largely useless, because they need to be combined with the other medications.”

Death rates among cancer patients have surged, doubling or tripling since the conflict began. Before the war, one patient died daily; now, two or three do. Dr Abunada attributed this to the lack of treatment options and the inability to evacuate those in need.

Research indicates that the mortality spike extends beyond cancer patients, impacting the entire population. Unicef reported a 75 percent rise in newborn deaths at birth during the final three months of the war, with an average of 47 fatalities per month between July and September—nearly double the 2022 average of 27.

“We are still living under the same threats and circumstances, only with less noise.”

Though military activity has eased, Israeli bombardments and gunfire remain deadly daily. Displacement continues to threaten dozens of families, with homes lost to ongoing incursions and land annexation efforts.