In a cramped space beneath the staircase of a school-turned-shelter in southern Gaza, university professor Kholoud Abu Sahmoud is slowly losing her battle with cancer.
After 15 rounds of chemotherapy, the 33-year-old Palestinian mother of two was told she could no longer continue treatment because the drugs available in the war-ravaged enclave were not suitable for her type of cancer.
“I was first diagnosed with liver cancer immediately after giving birth to my daughter, about nine months ago. But after several chemotherapy sessions, my condition only continued to worsen,” Abu Sahmoud told Middle East Eye.
“The doctor told me that the treatment was not suitable for my body or my condition. The chemotherapy never treated my cancer. It only caused my hair and nails to fall out. Almost every day, parts of my nails come off.”