Gaza glaucoma patients face blindness as Israel blocks supplies

Almost 4,000 people living with glaucoma in Gaza now face the risk of losing their sight as Israel’s war and siege continue to cripple the territory’s overstretched health system, the Palestinian Health Ministry has warned.

The ministry said Israeli attacks have damaged vital diagnostic and surgical equipment, sharply reducing the number of procedures doctors can perform and forcing patients to endure longer and more dangerous waiting times.

Stocks of essential eye medication are now “very limited”, leaving hospitals unable to meet even the most urgent cases as Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure teeters on the brink.

In response to the rapidly deteriorating situation, the ministry urged “all relevant authorities to intervene urgently” to allow diagnostic tools and specialised eye medicines to enter the besieged enclave