Escaping War: The Struggle Against Cancer for Gazans in Jordan

As families flee Gaza, their journey for medical care reveals the emotional toll of displacement and illness.

When fleeing war, the battle doesn’t always end with survival. For many Gazans who have sought refuge in Jordan, the fight for life has shifted from the violence of conflict to the silent, relentless struggle against cancer. The traumatic memories of war echo in their minds as they seek not only treatment but a semblance of normalcy in a foreign land.

Thirteen-year-old Mohammed Ashour embodies this tragic reality. After escaping the bombarded confines of Gaza, he arrived at a cancer treatment facility in Amman, Jordan, only to be plagued by thoughts of the chaos he left behind. The cramped two-bedroom apartment where his family had squeezed in with numerous relatives remains a haunting image, especially since their food supplies dwindled to nothing before they departed. “What will the family still there have for dinner?” he pensively reflects during restless nights.

Israeli officials reported that over 4,000 patients have evacuated Gaza for medical assistance since the outbreak of conflict, yet the World Health Organization states that more than 10,000 individuals are still in desperate need of care outside the enclave. The limited cohort of Gazan cancer patients, like Mohammed, navigating the medical landscape in Jordan, struggle under the weight of various emotions—guilt for leaving loved ones behind, fear for their own lives, and the profound ache of homesickness.

In this environment of uncertainty and healing, the patients’ stories highlight the urgency of medical help and the human spirit’s resilience against overwhelming odds. As they confront both their illnesses and the memories of home, their journey represents a complex interplay of survival and the challenges of navigating life amid war and chronic illness.