A recent bipartisan call from over 60 U.S. lawmakers emphasizes the pressing need for urgent medical support for Palestinian cancer patients in Gaza. As the region’s health care system grapples with significant challenges, these representatives urge the Trump administration to facilitate medical evacuations, shining a light on the humanitarian crisis affecting some of the most vulnerable members of society—children battling cancer.
More than sixty members of the United States Congress have urged Israel to remove the restrictions that prevent Palestinian cancer patients in Gaza from obtaining essential medical treatment in hospitals located in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. This bipartisan effort, consisting of fifty-one members from the House of Representatives and eleven senators, was articulated in a letter addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Notable signatories include Senators Bernie Sanders and Chris Van Hollen alongside Representatives Madeleine Dean and Greg Casar.
The letter specifically calls on President Trump’s administration to facilitate the evacuation of children with cancer and their caregivers, while seeking Israeli assurances that they would be permitted to return to Gaza after treatment. Deyar Jamil, a fellow at the human rights organization DAWN—which played a pivotal role in drafting the letter—expressed concern over the situation, stating that it is unfathomable that young cancer patients face such obstacles in accessing lifesaving medical care.
The health crisis in Gaza has been exacerbated by deteriorating conditions following the destruction of its healthcare infrastructure. The United Nations estimates that around 11,000 cancer patients currently reside in the region, with the systematic devastation of healthcare facilities rendering them unable to receive adequate care. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that a staggering 94 percent of hospitals in Gaza have either been destroyed or damaged during the hostilities, which escalated in October 2023.
The Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital—the only specialized cancer treatment facility in Gaza—was destroyed by Israeli forces in March 2025, illustrating the profound challenges that patients face. According to health professionals, the diagnosis of cancer in Gaza has increasingly turned into a death sentence, as the number of cancer-related fatalities has reportedly tripled since the onset of the conflict.
The limited medical evacuations that have been authorized by Israeli authorities fall significantly short of what is required, with the UN revealing that at least 1,200 people in Gaza have died while waiting for evacuation approvals. Among them was a six-year-old boy with leukemia who spent his final months hopeful for permission to leave for treatment. In April, the WHO suspended medical evacuations to Egypt after an Israeli airstrike killed a medical contractor working on evacuations.
Despite a ceasefire that was initiated in October 2025, violations continue, and humanitarian assistance remains highly restricted, raising grave concerns about the impact on medical services for Palestinians. Israeli forces have faced mounting accusations of intentionally targeting medical personnel and systematically demolishing medical facilities throughout Gaza.
Historically, Israel has maintained strict controls over the movement of individuals in and out of Gaza, often denying evacuation requests on the grounds of security concerns. The letter from Congress seeks to establish a medical corridor to allow for the safe transit of patients from Gaza to adjacent areas for treatment. It highlights the readiness of medical facilities in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem to accommodate these patients, specifically mentioning Augusta Victoria Hospital and the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, which have offered to cover all necessary medical expenses.
Ultimately, the letter articulates a dual objective: to facilitate the urgent evacuation of cancer patients who require treatment and to ensure that Palestinians can work toward rebuilding their healthcare infrastructure without further hindrance. The legislators stress that the only barrier preventing patients from receiving essential care is the Israeli government’s approval of their medical evacuation requests.
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