Over the past year, the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and Israel have engaged in gun battles alongside the ongoing conflict in Gaza. However, there has been a significant escalation of hostilities in recent weeks. The ongoing heavy shelling and artillery battles have seriously disrupted medical facilities in the region.
According to The New York Timesmore than 10,000 cancer patients still need immediate help, even as more than 4,000 patients have fled Gaza for medical treatment since the start of the conflict.
During their therapy in Jordan, patients struggle with feelings of guilt and homesickness. Mohammed, a patient diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in January 2023, went with his mother Maha, who insisted on taking the family along.
.@WHO and partners yesterday transferred five pediatric patients – four cancer patients and one patient with second-degree burns – from Al-Ahli Hospital to the Nasser Medical Complex. They will continue to receive care there until the cancer patients can leave #Gaza for specialized… pic.twitter.com/YxamZekXr6
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) June 24, 2024
At the King Hussein Cancer Center in Amman, the number of patients from Gaza has increased significantly. Patients live in a nearby hotel, which promotes a sense of community. However, uncertainty looms over their future as many fear returning to devastated Gaza.
Hussam Shehadeh, another patient, reflects on his separation from his family in Gaza and expresses concerns about their safety and his own health. Similarly, 13-year-old Mohammed Abdel Hadi faces emotional challenges after leaving his family behind. He locked himself in his room until a phone call from his mother convinced him to continue treatment. As patients cope with their illnesses and the trauma of the conflict, many hope to return to Gaza once the war is over NYT report.
