Gaza Herald _Malak Maher Naeem spent her final months waiting for two things she never received: the medication that could have helped manage her illness and the opportunity to leave Gaza for treatment unavailable inside the besieged enclave. After a prolonged battle with cancer, the young Palestinian woman died before either could become a reality, leaving behind a story that has come to symbolize the hardships faced by thousands of patients trapped within Gaza’s collapsing healthcare system.
According to her family, Malak remained in Gaza until her death as her condition steadily worsened. They describe a painful journey marked not only by the progression of her illness but also by the constant uncertainty surrounding access to treatment. As medical supplies dwindled and specialized care remained out of reach, each passing day brought new challenges and fewer options for survival.
For many patients in Gaza, access to healthcare has become tied to factors beyond medical need. The ability to obtain life-saving treatment often depends on the availability of essential medicines, the functioning of an overstretched healthcare system, and the possibility of securing medical evacuation through border crossings. In many cases, delays can prove fatal, particularly for those suffering from serious or chronic illnesses.
Malak’s story is not an isolated tragedy. Healthcare workers and patient advocates say it reflects a broader crisis affecting thousands of people across Gaza. Patients battling cancer, kidney disease, heart conditions, and other chronic illnesses face mounting obstacles as shortages of medicine and medical supplies continue to deepen.
The situation, health officials say, is far more difficult than some public narratives suggest. Zakaria Abu Qamar, Director General of Pharmacy at Gaza’s Ministry of Health, argues that claims of adequate medical supplies entering the territory create a misleading impression of conditions on the ground. He says much of what is permitted to enter consists of basic solutions and limited medications that fall far short of addressing the actual needs of patients and healthcare facilities.
According to Abu Qamar, Gaza is currently experiencing a shortage of approximately 50 percent of essential medicines, while deficits in medical consumables have reached nearly 60 percent. These shortages have placed extraordinary pressure on hospitals and clinics already struggling to function under difficult circumstances.
The crisis extends beyond medications alone. Stocks of laboratory materials have fallen to critically low levels, forcing the suspension of numerous diagnostic tests and making it increasingly difficult for doctors to monitor patients and provide accurate treatment plans.
Health authorities, working alongside the World Health Organization, have repeatedly submitted requests for the entry of essential medications used to treat chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, thalassemia, thyroid disorders, and rheumatic diseases. However, officials say many of these medicines remain unavailable.
The shortages also affect cancer treatments, anesthesia drugs, vaccines, and other critical medications. Restrictions on the entry, storage, and management of sensitive pharmaceutical products have further complicated efforts to maintain adequate supplies throughout the healthcare system.
Medical facilities are also grappling with shortages of basic equipment and supplies, including syringes, gauze, surgical materials, orthopedic hardware, and replacement parts for medical devices and generators. Fuel shortages have added another layer of difficulty, threatening the operation of essential medical services and equipment.
As resources continue to decline, healthcare officials warn that the consequences are increasingly measured in human lives.
Zaher Al-Wahidi, Director of Information at Gaza’s Ministry of Health, says medication shortages have already contributed to the deaths of approximately 100 patients. At the same time, more than 20,000 individuals remain on waiting lists for medical referrals outside Gaza.
Al-Wahidi notes that while ceasefire arrangements included commitments allowing the evacuation of 50 patients per day for treatment abroad, the actual number has reportedly reached only around 11 patients on the best days. The gap between commitments and implementation, he says, has had devastating consequences.
According to health officials, 1,581 patients have died after being unable to leave Gaza for treatment or access the care they required within the territory.
The impact of the crisis is particularly visible among patients with cancer and kidney failure. Hundreds have reportedly died as access to treatment became increasingly limited. The number of dialysis patients receiving care has also declined sharply, dropping from around 1,100 patients to approximately 670, a decrease that officials attribute to treatment disruptions, medication shortages, and difficulties reaching healthcare facilities.
Within this wider reality, Malak Naeem’s story stands as one example among many. Across Gaza, patients continue to navigate a healthcare system strained by shortages, delays, and limited resources. While each case is unique, many share a common pattern: illnesses progress while treatment options diminish, medications become harder to obtain, and hopes for medical evacuation remain uncertain.
For countless families, waiting has become more than a temporary stage in the treatment process. It has evolved into a prolonged state of uncertainty, where recovery feels increasingly distant and time itself becomes one of the greatest challenges facing those fighting to stay alive.
