Statement on the Second Attack against PCRF’s Pediatric Cancer Department in Gaza

Statement on the Second Attack against PCRF’s Pediatric Cancer Department in Gaza

We are devastated to report that the Dr. Musa and Suhaila Nasir Pediatric Cancer Department at Al-Rantisi Children’s Hospital in Gaza City is being attacked once again by the Israeli military. This is the second time since 2023 that this children’s hospital, which was previously home to the only pediatric cancer department in Gaza, has been targeted.

As we write (17 Sep, 1:00 am Gaza time), we continue to hear terrifying reports that the Israeli military is launching continued strikes and targeted drone attacks on the hospital’s infrastructure and its patients.

Since the attacks on the hospital in November 2023, our teams have sought to rebuild the hospital and its medical units — and now, we must rebuild again. This department was initially established by PCRF in 2019 to provide local life-saving treatment for children with cancer who couldn’t access care elsewhere.

There are at least 80 injured and sick children at the hospital receiving care. We fear for their safety and the continued safety of their families and the doctors and nurses at the hospital.

Children, hospitals, and health facilities must never be targets. These Israeli strikes on a center intended for the treatment of sick children highlight the unimaginable hardships faced by Gaza’s most vulnerable.

Despite these grave challenges, PCRF will continue to do everything in our power to safeguard the lives of children in Gaza, and to provide them with the medical care they need – and deserve.

We call on the international community, including governments and global institutions to stop these atrocities. It is the collective responsibility of states and global actors to protect health facilities, patients and medical personnel from such attacks.

Second Attack against PCRF’s Pediatric Cancer Department in Gaza