Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza runs out of cancer medicines

Gaza’s Al‑Aqsa Martyrs Hospital announced that it has run out of all cancer medicines after an Israeli strike damaged the facility’s water tanks, laboratory equipment and storage rooms in Deir el‑Balah. The attack, part of a broader campaign that has targeted hospitals and medical centres, left the hospital unable to keep its drug inventory intact. Patients with life‑threatening cancers now face an immediate risk of treatment interruption, with no clear replacement supplies on hand.

The shortage matters because Gaza already struggles to maintain a functioning health system under a blockade that has cut off most new medical supplies since 2007. The United Nations estimates that the enclave receives only about 30% of the essential medicines it needs. Cancer treatments require a steady supply of chemotherapy drugs, radiation therapy equipment and supportive care. Without these, patients can experience tumour growth, complications, and increased mortality. The loss of even a single batch of medication can mean the difference between life and death for those with limited treatment options.

The damage came after an Israeli airstrike struck the hospital’s perimeter on Tuesday, hitting the water tanks that supply the facility and the storage rooms that hold critical drugs. Earlier in the week, the hospital had already lost a section of its laboratory due to a separate strike. Israel has said it targets military infrastructure, but the use of civilian hospitals as cover by militant groups has drawn criticism from international observers. The blockade and repeated strikes have already reduced Gaza’s drug stockpile to the lowest point in years, and the latest attack has pushed it to a crisis level.

In the wake of the strike, hospital staff are scrambling to transfer patients to other facilities, many of which are already overcrowded. The United Nations and several human rights groups have called for an immediate halt to attacks on medical infrastructure and for unhindered humanitarian access. Aid agencies are preparing emergency shipments of oncology drugs, but the blockade and ongoing conflict threaten to delay delivery. The situation remains fragile; any further strikes could push the already strained health system beyond its limits, potentially leading to a surge in preventable deaths.