For the past year, the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and Israel have engaged in exchanges of fire alongside the ongoing conflict in Gaza. However, recent weeks have seen a significant escalation in hostilities. The continuous heavy shelling and artillery battles have severely disrupted medical facilities in the region.
According to The New York Times, more than 10,000 cancer patients still require immediate assistance, even though more than 4,000 patients have fled Gaza for medical treatment since the start of the conflict.
While undergoing therapy in Jordan, patients struggle with emotions of guilt and homesickness. Mohammed, a patient who was given a Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis in January 2023, went with his mother, Maha, who insisted on taking the family with them.
.@WHO and partners transferred 5 pediatric patients – four cancer patients and a patient with second degree burns – from Al-Ahli hospital yesterday to Nasser Medical Complex. They will continue receiving care there until the cancer patients are able to leave #Gaza for specialised… pic.twitter.com/YxamZekXr6
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) June 24, 2024
At the King Hussein Cancer Centre in Amman, the number of patients from Gaza has increased significantly. Patients live in a hotel nearby, fostering a sense of community. However, uncertainty looms over their futures as many fear returning to a devastated Gaza.
Hussam Shehadeh, another patient, reflects on his separation from his family in Gaza, expressing worries 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 call from his mother persuaded him to continue treatment. As patients navigate their illnesses and the trauma of conflict, many hope to return to Gaza once the war ends, according to an NYT report.