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US lawmakers press Israel to let cancer patients out of Gaza for treatment
TL;DR
Over 60 US lawmakers are urging Israel to allow cancer patients in Gaza to access treatment in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The letter, signed by members of both the House and Senate, calls for the evacuation of child patients and their caretakers.
Key points
- Over 60 US lawmakers signed a letter to Israel
- Request to lift restrictions on cancer patients in Gaza
- Call for medical evacuation of child patients and caretakers
- Letter addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio
- Includes prominent lawmakers like Bernie Sanders
Mentioned in this story
DAWNMarco RubioBernie SandersChris Van HollenMadeleine DeanGreg Casar
More than 60 members of the United States Congress have called on Israel to lift restrictions on Palestinian cancer patients in Gaza so that they may seek treatment in hospitals in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Fifty-one members of the House of Representatives and 11 members of the Senate signed Thursday’s letter, addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. They include Senators Bernie Sanders and Chris Van Hollen and Representatives Madeleine Dean and Greg Casar.
The letter calls on the administration of President Donald Trump to facilitate the medical evacuation of child cancer patients and their caretakers, as well as obtain Israeli guarantees that they will be allowed to return to Gaza.
“There is no conceivable reason that allowing kids with cancer to drive 40 minutes for lifesaving medical treatment should be controversial,” said Deyar Jamil, a fellow at the human rights group DAWN, which helped craft the letter.
“Such cruelty would not be possible without US political cover and we are grateful for the members of Congress who are demanding an end to it.”
Decimated health system
The United Nations estimates that about 11,000 cancer patients are currently living in Gaza, where Israel’s systematic destruction of the healthcare system has left them unable to obtain adequate treatment.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 94 percent of Gaza’s hospitals were destroyed or damaged during Israel’s genocidal war on the Palestinian territory, which began in October 2023.
Israeli forces, for instance, destroyed the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, the sole specialised cancer facility in the strip, in March 2025.
“Cancer diagnoses become death sentences in Gaza, where doctors estimate that cancer deaths have tripled since October 2023,” Thursday’s letter reads.
It argues that the limited medical evacuations permitted by Israeli authorities have fallen far short of patients’ needs.
According to the United Nations, at least 1,200 people have died in Gaza while waiting for evacuation approvals, including a six-year-old boy with leukaemia named Ghazal, who spent the last two months of his life hoping for permission to leave.
Q&A
What is the letter from US lawmakers regarding cancer patients in Gaza?
The letter calls on Israel to lift restrictions on Palestinian cancer patients in Gaza, allowing them to seek treatment in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Who are the key lawmakers advocating for cancer patients in Gaza?
The letter is signed by 51 members of the House of Representatives and 11 Senators, including Bernie Sanders and Chris Van Hollen.
What does the letter request from the US administration?
It requests the Trump administration to facilitate the medical evacuation of child cancer patients and ensure they can return to Gaza after treatment.
What are the implications of the restrictions on cancer patients in Gaza?
The restrictions prevent patients from accessing lifesaving medical treatment, highlighting the humanitarian crisis and the need for political intervention.
