Sa’dyia Ibrahim Mahmoud Abu Harbeed (44) married with 7 children and resident of Beit Hanoun, gave her testimony to PCHR on 16 February 2024.

I am a cancer patient living in Beit Hanoun, a border area in northern Gaza Strip, and whenever an escalation occurs, we evacuate to Jabalia. And we did so after Israel launched its war on the Gaza Strip on 07 October 2023. At 16:00 on that day, we sought refuge in Halab school in Jabalia, where we suffered a lot. Under heavy bombardment, I left home barefoot and could only pack a small handbag. The Israeli warplanes pounded the area with heaviest fire belts, and plumes of smoke filled the area.

While evacuating, I had to rest on the sidewalks tens of times not being able to walk long distances. We walked for about five hours as I was walking slowly, feeling very tired after taking my chemotherapy dose.  I knew that I was inching towards death.

On 29 September 2023, I received my chemotherapy dose and I was supposed to take another one at the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital on 10 October 2023, but unfortunately, I could not due to the war.

I stayed in Halab School only for three days. One I arrived at the school, I lay down on the floor, as my feet were swollen and I was mentally and physically drained, being unable to move or breathe. There were no blankets, mattresses, or food, and as a cancer patient, I am not allowed to eat canned food, but I had to as I was starving. There were no medicines or painkillers and only salty water was available. The situation was very catastrophic, we only had dirty bathrooms unsuitable for human use having to wait in a very long line to use them.

The bombardment intensified near the school, witnessing many people dying and injured amid smoke and white phosphorus filling the area as we were near the Indonesian hospital.  We decided to flee to the south because gunpowder and smoke inhalation is harmful to my health and fearing that the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) would close the road connecting the north with the south and we would then go on foot. On 10 October 2023, we sought refuge in Deir al-Balah Primary Mixed School.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer on 15 January 2021. At the time, I was referred for chemotherapy at al-Rantisi Hospital, where I received 8 chemotherapy doses and then underwent partial mastectomy. After surgery, I was referred to the Istishari Arab Hospital in Ramallah to complete my chemotherapy and I underwent a CT scan that showed that the tumor was still there. I received 8 other chemotherapy doses and was then referred back to the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital in Gaza to complete my treatment before being referred to al-Mutala’ Hospital in Jerusalem for radiotherapy. I stayed there for a month and returned to Gaza on 28 March 2023. After staying for three days in Gaza, I underwent another Ct-scan at the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital that showed a relapse and re-appearance of tumor. Doctors decided that I have to take 16 additional doses, but I only received two. Due to the war, I did not complete my chemotherapy protocol as I was supposed to take 10 chemo sessions in the war, but I couldn’t. I shall receive a dose every 15 days due to my difficult health condition, according to the treatment protocol, and not receiving the doses has exacerbated my suffering and worsened the pain that has left me sleepless at night.

When I sought refuge in the school shelter, there were no mattresses, pillows or blankets, so I had to sleep on the floor and use my handbag as a pillow. We set up a tent made of shed sheets in the school yard and when it rains, we suffer a lot as rainwater floods the tent, so we cannot sleep. My face turned pale due to lack of healthy food and weak immune system and there were neither vegetables nor fruits. I need healthy food, but unfortunately it is not available. I got hypertension, but even the hypertension medicine is not available. Due to the very cold weather, I started having severe bone pains and there were no painkillers, leaving me screaming out of the unbearable pain.

In November 2023, I received an urgent referral for treatment in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and every day, I go to al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, which houses the treatment abroad coordination office, to check when I will travel.  Unfortunately, I am still waiting my turn to travel and complete my treatment.