Israel’s siege on Gaza is creating a breast cancer crisis

Deir el-Balah, Gaza – Esad Darwish, 42, holds her medical file tightly as she waits in line at Yafa Medical Hospital to see a doctor.She glances at the physician’s door as the corridor fills up with more patients and their companions, waiting patiently for her name to be called out.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4‘No freedom at all’: Israeli closures leave West Bank patients trappedlist 2 of 4War and shortages push Gaza hospitals to breaking pointlist 3 of 4Remembering Anas, Mohammed and Gaza’s other slain journalistslist 4 of 4Autism and war: Gaza families grapple with destruction and lossend of listHer experience with breast cancer began at the start of July when she noticed signs of the disease. Massive disruptions to healthcare, caused by Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, and the demands of her home in Deir el-Balah meant Esad delayed seeing a doctor.“I felt that something was not normal, but the mammography machine was not available,” she told Al Jazeera. “Every day I told myself I would go tomorrow, but my responsibilities at home, from cooking and washing to taking care of my family, kept taking my time.”Waiting for treatmentSince being diagnosed with breast c...