Gaza – Naemah al-Astal
Amid the war on Gaza, even treatable illnesses have become sources of great suffering—especially for those with chronic conditions like diabetes. Azhar Abu Mustafa, from Khan Younis in southern Gaza, has struggled with diabetes for years, but war and repeated displacement have worsened her condition.
Sitting inside her tent in al-Mawasi after multiple displacements, Abu Mustafa reflects on her deteriorating health and clings to hope for relief.
“We were displaced from al-Amal neighborhood in Khan Younis several times until we ended up in a tent in al-Mawasi, al-Qarara. The displacement journey was extremely difficult, especially having to repeat it again and again,” she says.
She adds: “I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was pregnant with my youngest son, Osaid. The disease worsened and caused me two strokes—one in 2018 and another in 2019. I underwent brain surgery and was supposed to travel abroad for medical treatment in November 2023, but Israel prevented me from leaving, especially after the war broke out.”
Her suffering continued: “I suffered another stroke during the war, and since I wasn’t used to living in tents, I also developed chronic hypertension.”
The biggest struggle now is the lack of medicine. “I suffer from severe shortages of diabetes and blood pressure medications like insulin, which is often completely unavailable. On top of that, malnutrition and the lack of vitamins, calcium, and iron due to Gaza’s famine have worsened my condition.”
Abu Mustafa explains that proper nutrition is vital for diabetics: “But only canned foods are available in the markets. Fruits and vegetables exist in small amounts, and their prices are extremely high.”
She fears for her life: “I am terrified of dying because of diabetes—especially after repeated episodes of hypoglycemia. I often can’t even find a single spoon of sugar, or any substitute, to put in my mouth.”
Abu Mustafa appeals to the authorities and humanitarian organizations to provide her with the necessary treatment and to allow her to leave Gaza for urgent surgery. “I am losing balance, awareness, and eyesight,” she says, “and I fear my life will be lost to the complications of this disease.”
