By Usama Nicola, Bethlehem, Palestine, September 2025
In my own family, heart disease is not an abstract statistic. My oldest brother has already undergone two cardiac catheterizations and is scheduled for open-heart surgery this Thursday. Tomorrow, a cousin of mine faces the same surgery. Five years ago, I went through a cardiac catheterization myself. My father has had the procedure twice, and just last month my brother-in-law underwent it as well. Last week, I sat in the emergency room with my brother and had never seen the hospital so overcrowded with patients waiting for urgent care. What we live through at home reflects a much wider crisis across Palestine.
Monday, September 29, marks World Heart Day 2025. This year, the occasion highlights the urgent need to shed light on the cardiac and mental health situation in Palestine, where chronic illnesses and mental health disorders are rising amidst worsening humanitarian and social conditions.
General Health Situation and Cardiovascular Diseases
Recent statistics on cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in the West Bank and Gaza Strip for the period 2023–2025 show that heart disease remains the leading cause of death. Among Palestinian adults aged 40–69, about 17.1% are affected by cardiovascular diseases, either with a high 10-year risk (≥20%) or with an existing heart condition. Data also reveal that 7.6% of the population has elevated blood sugar levels or is receiving diabetes treatment, further increasing cardiovascular risk factors.
In Gaza, the health crisis has sharply deteriorated due to the ongoing blockade and the destruction of health facilities after October 2023. This has led to a marked rise in heart-related deaths. According to the Ministry of Health, there were around 45,000 heart disease patients in 2024, with approximately 1,000 deaths linked to cardiovascular conditions, largely due to the unavailability of treatment. Reports note severe shortages: 52% of essential chronic disease medications are lacking, and 64% of cancer drugs are completely out of stock. About 16,000 patients are waiting for medical referrals outside the Gaza Strip; tragically, 633 of them died while waiting for approval. Patients in Gaza face severe limitations in access to care due to destroyed facilities and critical medicine shortages.
Overall, cardiovascular diseases account for over 30% of deaths in Palestine, while health system challenges continue to mount under ongoing political and economic pressures. These figures are drawn from World Health Organization studies, Palestinian Ministry of Health reports, and academic research published between 2023 and 2025.
Chronic Illnesses and Cancer
Chronic illnesses also include diabetes and kidney disease. Around 60,000 people in Palestine live with high blood sugar levels, and Gaza alone has 700 kidney dialysis patients, suffering from severe shortages of medical equipment due to the blockade and ongoing war. Cancer is an escalating concern: restrictions and the blockade hinder patients’ access to early and appropriate treatment, causing death rates to rise significantly. For instance, the survival rate for advanced-stage breast cancer patients in Palestine does not exceed 40%, compared to nearly 90% in countries with advanced health systems. The medical situation worsens with the suspension of chemotherapy and radiotherapy services in Gaza, endangering the lives of an estimated 10,000 cancer patients.
Mental Health and Psychological Well-Being
Recent studies indicate extremely high rates of mental health disorders among Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank, especially among those internally displaced by the ongoing genocidal war. Findings show that 99.5% of displaced individuals experience psychological distress and depression, while 99.7% suffer from severe anxiety. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is also widespread, affecting between 68% and 88% of the population. These mental health challenges contribute to higher rates of chronic illnesses and severely undermine quality of life.
Barriers to Healthcare Access
Palestine faces profound barriers in providing adequate healthcare. Some of the best Palestinian hospitals such as Al-Makassed Charitable Hospital and Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem are out of reach for most Palestinians due to Israeli restrictions, including denial of entry permits to East Jerusalem and severe movement restrictions across the West Bank. The situation is compounded by the abundance of checkpoints and closed gates that delay ambulances and emergency services. On multiple occasions, pregnant women have given birth at checkpoints, while other patients have died there due to delays in reaching hospitals.
Conclusion
World Heart Day this year reflects the dire health reality of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip: rising rates of chronic and cardiovascular diseases, a deepening mental health crisis under relentless conflict, and grave obstacles to accessing essential medical services. But this is not only a story of blocked hospital gates or missing medicines it is also about how political oppression itself creates the very conditions that erode health. Long-term subjugation produces the chronic stress, poverty, displacement, and systemic neglect that make diseases like heart failure, diabetes, and cancer deadlier here than elsewhere.
This connection between political violence and poor health outcomes is not unique to Palestine; it is visible in many regions where marginalized communities live under structural oppression, from refugee camps to colonized lands. Global health cannot be separated from global justice. As I wait for my brother s open-heart surgery this week, I cannot help but see his condition not only as a personal family struggle but as part of a much larger pattern: a reminder that the fight for health in Palestine and anywhere cannot be won without achieving justice and equality.
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About the Author
Usama is a Palestinian civil society activist, husband, and father of three, rooted in the ancient and resilient city of Bethlehem. He brings together his love for people, justice, and faith in everything he does. His writing flows from the lived realities of Palestinians under occupation, grounded in both hope and heartbreak, and carried by a deep commitment to human dignity and spiritual reflection.
Bethlehem the city where heaven met earth is not only Usama’s birthplace, but also the heart of his mission. For him, it is a sacred place where history, struggle, and faith meet; a city that teaches him daily about rootedness, resistance, and radical love. His stories rise from this soil, offering readers an invitation to listen deeply, reflect honestly, and act justly.
Through his Patreon page, Usama shares regular reflections, updates from Bethlehem, and spiritual insights, building a global circle of solidarity and learning. His hope is to warm hearts, challenge comfort, and remind people everywhere that even in places of sorrow, life still grows.
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