In Pink October.. Health Warns of Breast Cancer Risks in Gaza

The Ministry of Health in Gaza warned of a catastrophic health and humanitarian reality faced by breast cancer patients coinciding with Pink October, amid the collapse of diagnostic and treatment services and a shortage of medications and medical supplies. It indicated that early screening services have become very limited due to malfunctions in mammography machines and the absence of laboratory solutions.

The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip warned on Thursday of a catastrophic health and humanitarian reality faced by breast cancer patients, coinciding with the arrival of October, globally dedicated to breast cancer awareness and supporting those affected. The ministry stated in a press release that early screening and diagnostic services for breast cancer have become very limited, effectively halted, due to severe shortages and ongoing malfunctions in mammography imaging devices, along with the absence of laboratory solutions and supplies, depriving women of early detection opportunities. It explained that the treatment system suffers from an almost complete absence of approved treatment protocols, with a lack of chemotherapy drugs, hormonal therapies, and targeted treatments, in addition to the complete halt of radiotherapy services within the Strip and the disruption of advanced tumor removal surgeries due to a lack of specialized medical capabilities. The ministry noted that before the war, about 360 new cases were recorded annually, but the collapse of the early detection system means current figures do not reflect the actual number of infections. It stated that about 250 cases were diagnosed during 2024, and about 260 cases in 2025, while more than a thousand new cases were expected to be recorded over about three years. It pointed out that the suffering of patients is exacerbated by movement restrictions and the closure of crossings, depriving hundreds of emergency cases from traveling for treatment outside the Strip. The ministry called on international organizations to urgently act to provide treatment protocols and medications, open crossings, and facilitate the travel of patients whose chances of survival depend on receiving radiotherapy or surgical treatment unavailable inside the Strip. It emphasized that the danger is not limited to the number of diagnosed patients, but extends to women who may carry the disease without detection in its early stages. It concluded that the message of "Pink October" from Gaza goes beyond awareness campaigns, turning into a "humanitarian cry for help" to save patients battling the disease amid the absence of basic treatment necessities.