Israel’s Use of Banned Weapons in Gaza Has Created a Cancer Crisis

There are currently around 11,000 cancer patients in Gaza. Many of them are able to trace their illnesses back to toxic weaponry used by the Israelis during the genocide.

My uncle’s wife, Ruba, is 21 years old. Back in 2022, she achieved 93% at Tawjihi - among the top scores - on the final standardised exams in the Palestinian school system. Then she started studying mathematics at Al-Aqsa University in Gaza City. She dreams more than anyone I know. She married my uncle, Nasser, in August 2022. Then she gave birth to a wonderful baby girl in June 2023. Her daughter’s name is Tohfa, which means “unique” and “beautiful” in Arabic. She is now almost three years old. My uncle Nasser and Ruba lived happily together as a married couple for a year and two months. Then, on 7 October 2023, the war began, and everything turned upside down.

At the beginning of the genocide, they moved from their house to shelter in Al-Rafee school in Jabalia, which was meant to be a safe place in the north of Gaza. But on 17 November 2023, the Israeli occupation started shooting tear gas and white phosphorus bombs at the school. They couldn’t do anything to protect themselves from the toxic gases because the school’s windows had all been shattered by the force of repeated airstrikes, leaving the frames empty and the rooms exposed.

During the bombing, they were forced to leave their five-month-old baby, Tohfa, in a safe-room designated for children in such situations. But the Israeli army increased the bombing and dropped leaflets telling people to leave for the south because the north was now a dangerous place. So Nasser and his family were forced to move to Deir al-Balah days later to keep them safe. For many families, moving there was the only hope to find temporary shelter away from direct airstrikes hitting their neighbourhoods.

Ruba was only 19 at this time, and her daughter was still very young and needed care. Ruba was far away from her family, but she carried the water and cooked food over a dangerous fire. This was the first time she had used fire to cook, and it was never easy. Meanwhile, my uncle Nasser was working from dawn until night to earn money and secure food for his family amid the war and rising prices.

Shattered souls

Around this time, Ruba started to feel a strange pain under her left arm. The pain extended to her chest and shoulder, but because of what was happening around her, she didn’t take much notice. She thought it was probably because of carrying water or working too much.

After the first ceasefire in Gaza ended in November 2023, Ruba returned to her damaged house. At this point, she was relieved and happy. With her help, my uncle Nasser repaired as much as he could. But here in Gaza, nothing beautiful lasts. The war soon returned - mercilessly. They had to leave their house again, this time with shattered souls. The pain also soon returned to Ruba from under her left arm to her chest and shoulder, and it was more intense now.

Nasser took her to many doctors and hospitals, but they couldn’t determine the exact cause because the necessary medical imaging was not available. Doctors kept saying it was inflammation, torn tendons, or nerve damage, and they always prescribed painkillers or antibiotics. But the symptoms kept returning, more painful each time. She couldn’t sleep at night, she cried constantly and told her family: “I’m dying”.

By the time the second round of the war paused in January 2025, a boil-like swelling appeared under Ruba’s arm, extending to her chest. Nasser took her to Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, where doctors referred her to Al-Shifa Hospital. There, doctors asked Ruba to undergo an urgent surgery to remove what they thought was a boil. But when the doctor started the operation, he was surprised to find that she didn’t have a boil. He became nervous and searched quickly for the source of pain. He cleaned the wound and ended the operation.

A week later, Ruba’s pain returned mercilessly, and the swelling reappeared in the same place. She returned to Al-Shifa Hospital, where doctors asked her to undergo scans and medical imaging. On 6 December 2025, they requested another surgery to take a biopsy from the swelling, which they now suspected was a cancerous tumour.

Ruba, Nasser, and their families were forced to wait two weeks for the results. The pain increased, yet she wasn’t allowed to take any medication. This was not only because appropriate options were scarce, but also because the doctors feared that giving her the wrong treatment without a clear diagnosis might worsen her condition. We prayed for her, asking God to protect her and not deprive her daughter of her mother.

Cancer diagnosis

After 10 days, the results arrived, and unfortunately, Ruba was diagnosed with malignant cancer. We were all shocked at the news. Ruba burst into tears, thinking about her child, her life, and her future. Doctors said that her case was considered untreatable in Gaza and she must travel outside as soon as possible to receive proper medical care. So far, that has been impossible because of Israeli restrictions.

Ruba loves tea, spicy food, and life in general. Ruba has a family, dreams, and an innocent child, Tohfa, who needs her mother. When I asked Tohfa what her mother has, she replied innocently, “Mama fiha Wawa hana,” which means, “My mum has pain here,” then she pointed to her arm. All night, she asks where her mother is and keeps calling for her. Tohfa is consumed with happiness when we tell her that she will visit her mother at the hospital. Ruba is not just my uncle’s wife. I consider her my sister. Her kindness and love for others define her. Ruba deserves the best.

The genocide in Gaza has severely damaged the healthcare system. Many hospitals and clinics have been destroyed, making it near-impossible to treat patients. There is a serious shortage of medicines, medical equipment, as well as doctors and nurses. In addition, power, fuel and water cuts make it difficult to use the available medical machines and maintain sterile conditions.

Despite the “ceasefire”, the Israelis are only allowing a small percentage of the aid that is needed to support people in Gaza. As a result, many people, including my aunt and uncle, now rely on humanitarian organisations, which are facing new restrictions placed on them by the Israelis.

The shortage of medicines and medical equipment has worsened. We always have to wait in long lines to be given a prescription to buy the medicine from a pharmacy. Then, often, the medicine is not available in the pharmacies and, if it is, the price is exorbitantly high and therefore unaffordable. Hospitals say that more than half of the medicines and most other medical supplies are gone because only a small part of the needed aid is allowed in.

Toxic weapons

The effects of chemical and other weapons on human beings are well-documented. I believe Ruba’s illness, as well as those of many cancer patients, can be traced directly to the toxic gases, the residue of rockets, the phosphorus, and the internationally banned explosives used on us by Israel.

There are currently around 11,000 cancer patients who require ongoing medical care in Gaza, according to World Health Organization (WHO) data, citing the Gaza Ministry of Health. Many of these patients are able to trace their illnesses directly to the aftermath of the weapons being used by the Israelis, which has led to urgent calls from human rights groups for an independent international investigation to hold Israel accountable for using prohibited substances.

We will not forget or forgive the people who caused the deadly illnesses of Gazans. Or anyone who could have prevented these toxic and internationally-banned weapons from being used, knowing full well their long-term effects.

The healthcare system in Gaza has been almost completely destroyed by Israel. If Ruba’s condition had been discovered earlier, she might have been able to recover before the cancer spread. Ruba is now waiting for her fate to be decided. She has recently received her first dose of chemotherapy, yet her condition remains unstable. Her husband and family are doing everything they can to process her travel documents, struggling to secure a way for her to leave Gaza for treatment before it’s too late. However, so far, all their efforts have been to no avail.

We try to escape reality, but the war lives inside us, leaving its marks physically on our bodies and psychologically on our souls.

Left to die

This is a story of a people being left to die slowly. And it is not only about Ruba. All cancer patients, and others with life-threatening conditions, must have their right to travel as soon as possible, without restrictions, to receive proper medical care. Our healthcare system has been dismantled by Israel in full view of the world - and many so-called “civilised” countries have supplied the weapons used to do it. These patients are not numbers or statistics: they are human beings with shattered and broken souls. Ruba and every patient in Gaza need the world’s attention: they deserve life, without humiliation, waiting, or borders.

The situation for patients in Gaza remains uncertain and unfair. While some emergency cases are allowed to travel outside Gaza, this happens based on the discretion of the occupation authorities. Many patients have been waiting for a long time, and whether someone is allowed to leave often depends on luck or chance. No clear rules are known. The process is opaque.

The world is required to do more than express sympathy. It must demand that Israel allow immediate access to treatment for all patients in Gaza, permit travel for those who need it, and take responsibility for protecting their right to life. Israel, as the occupying power, bears responsibility for the destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system and for restricting patients’ movement. Countries that continue to provide support also bear responsibility. Urgent action is needed.

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Alaa Dmeida is a 20-year-old English Literature student at the Islamic University of Gaza and a writer who is striving to convey the voices of the oppressed people in Gaza.