Collapse of diagnostic system in Gaza masks hundreds of breast cancer cases: Health Ministry

The collapse of breast cancer screening and early diagnosis services in the Gaza Strip is concealing the true scale of the disease, with hundreds of cases believed to be undiagnosed, the Health Ministry said Thursday. It issued the warning in a statement marking the start of “Pink October,” the global breast cancer awareness month dedicated to early detection and support for patients. Women with breast cancer in Gaza are living through a “catastrophic health and humanitarian reality” amid the loss of even the most basic requirements for medical care and treatment, according to the statement. Screening and early diagnosis services have become “extremely limited and virtually suspended,” it added, citing severe shortages and repeated breakdowns of mammography machines as well as the lack of laboratory reagents and medical supplies. It said the situation is depriving women of opportunities for early detection. The treatment system for breast cancer patients is suffering from a “near-total absence of approved treatment protocols.” It said oncology departments lack chemotherapy drugs, hormonal treatments and targeted therapies, while radiotherapy services are completely unavailable inside Gaza. Operations to remove advanced tumors have also stopped because of the lack of specialized medical capabilities, it said. Before Israel’s genocide began in late 2023, the enclave recorded 360 new breast cancer cases annually, according to the ministry. It said 250 cases were diagnosed in 2024 and around 260 in 2025, while based on the pre-war rate, more than 1,000 new cases would have been expected over roughly three years. “The most dangerous thing we face today is not only the number of patients who are diagnosed, but the number of women who may have the disease without it being detected early,” it said. It added that the suffering of cancer patients is being compounded by movement restrictions and the closure of crossings, which prevent hundreds of urgent cases from traveling to specialized oncology centers outside Gaza. “Pink October from Gaza is not merely an awareness campaign, but a humanitarian distress call to save the lives of patients struggling against death amid the absence of basic treatment requirements,” it said. Gaza’s health system has suffered severe damage since October 2023, with hospitals and medical facilities destroyed or rendered inoperable and shortages of medicines, medical supplies and fuel severely limiting care, particularly for cancer and chronic disease patients. More than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 175,000 injured in Gaza by Israel since October 2023.