Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40499107›Full record

ArticleAmerican journal of public health2025

The Ongoing Environmental Destruction and Degradation of Gaza: The Resulting Public Health Crisis.

Ahlam Abuawad, Mark Griffiths, Graham H Edwards, Adan Eftekhari, Mohammed Al-Ebweini, Husam Al-Najar, Abeer Butmeh, Rasha Abu Dayyeh, Mohamed El-Shewy, Amira Aker

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in American journal of public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Oral lesions and related risk factors in Palestine-Gaza.Philosophy, ethics, and humanities in medicine : PEHM · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Ahlam AbuawadAhlam Abuawad is with the Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH. Mark Griffiths and Mohamed El-Shewy are with the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK. Graham H. Edwards is with the Earth and Environmental Geosciences, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX. Adan Eftekhari is with Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Mohammed Al-Ebweini is with the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Husam Al-Najar is with Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Abeer Butmeh and Rasha Abu Dayyeh are with the Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network in Palestine. Amira Aker is with the School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA.ORCID 0000-0002-7241-4574
Mark GriffithsAhlam Abuawad is with the Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH. Mark Griffiths and Mohamed El-Shewy are with the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK. Graham H. Edwards is with the Earth and Environmental Geosciences, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX. Adan Eftekhari is with Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Mohammed Al-Ebweini is with the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Husam Al-Najar is with Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Abeer Butmeh and Rasha Abu Dayyeh are with the Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network in Palestine. Amira Aker is with the School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA.ORCID 0000-0002-2284-4533
Graham H EdwardsAhlam Abuawad is with the Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH. Mark Griffiths and Mohamed El-Shewy are with the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK. Graham H. Edwards is with the Earth and Environmental Geosciences, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX. Adan Eftekhari is with Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Mohammed Al-Ebweini is with the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Husam Al-Najar is with Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Abeer Butmeh and Rasha Abu Dayyeh are with the Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network in Palestine. Amira Aker is with the School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA.ORCID 0000-0002-3285-4858
Adan EftekhariAhlam Abuawad is with the Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH. Mark Griffiths and Mohamed El-Shewy are with the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK. Graham H. Edwards is with the Earth and Environmental Geosciences, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX. Adan Eftekhari is with Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Mohammed Al-Ebweini is with the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Husam Al-Najar is with Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Abeer Butmeh and Rasha Abu Dayyeh are with the Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network in Palestine. Amira Aker is with the School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA.ORCID 0009-0005-0713-5818
Mohammed Al-EbweiniAhlam Abuawad is with the Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH. Mark Griffiths and Mohamed El-Shewy are with the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK. Graham H. Edwards is with the Earth and Environmental Geosciences, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX. Adan Eftekhari is with Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Mohammed Al-Ebweini is with the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Husam Al-Najar is with Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Abeer Butmeh and Rasha Abu Dayyeh are with the Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network in Palestine. Amira Aker is with the School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA.
Husam Al-NajarAhlam Abuawad is with the Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH. Mark Griffiths and Mohamed El-Shewy are with the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK. Graham H. Edwards is with the Earth and Environmental Geosciences, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX. Adan Eftekhari is with Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Mohammed Al-Ebweini is with the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Husam Al-Najar is with Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Abeer Butmeh and Rasha Abu Dayyeh are with the Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network in Palestine. Amira Aker is with the School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA.
Abeer ButmehAhlam Abuawad is with the Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH. Mark Griffiths and Mohamed El-Shewy are with the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK. Graham H. Edwards is with the Earth and Environmental Geosciences, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX. Adan Eftekhari is with Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Mohammed Al-Ebweini is with the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Husam Al-Najar is with Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Abeer Butmeh and Rasha Abu Dayyeh are with the Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network in Palestine. Amira Aker is with the School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA.
Rasha Abu DayyehAhlam Abuawad is with the Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH. Mark Griffiths and Mohamed El-Shewy are with the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK. Graham H. Edwards is with the Earth and Environmental Geosciences, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX. Adan Eftekhari is with Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Mohammed Al-Ebweini is with the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Husam Al-Najar is with Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Abeer Butmeh and Rasha Abu Dayyeh are with the Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network in Palestine. Amira Aker is with the School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA.
Mohamed El-ShewyAhlam Abuawad is with the Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH. Mark Griffiths and Mohamed El-Shewy are with the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK. Graham H. Edwards is with the Earth and Environmental Geosciences, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX. Adan Eftekhari is with Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Mohammed Al-Ebweini is with the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Husam Al-Najar is with Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Abeer Butmeh and Rasha Abu Dayyeh are with the Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network in Palestine. Amira Aker is with the School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA.ORCID 0009-0008-0353-6528
Amira AkerAhlam Abuawad is with the Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH. Mark Griffiths and Mohamed El-Shewy are with the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK. Graham H. Edwards is with the Earth and Environmental Geosciences, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX. Adan Eftekhari is with Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Mohammed Al-Ebweini is with the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Husam Al-Najar is with Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Strip in Palestine. Abeer Butmeh and Rasha Abu Dayyeh are with the Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network in Palestine. Amira Aker is with the School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA.ORCID 0000-0002-0063-7955

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This essay examines the resulting environmental health conditions in Gaza since October 2023. Evidence is drawn from international agency reports and peer-reviewed literature to document destruction and public health impacts over 18 months. Key themes include water, sanitation, contamination, noise and air pollution, food insecurity, susceptible populations, health system collapse, and trauma. Palestinians are beset with a public health crisis resulting from targeted environmental destruction. Water shortages and sewage contamination increase dehydration, famine, and disease. Air pollution from explosives and waste burning exposes residents to toxins. Waste management has collapsed, heightening disease outbreaks, including polio. Agricultural land is devastated, and food security is threatened with the aid blockade. Power grid destruction has crippled essential services. The health care system's collapse further exacerbates risks, especially for susceptible populations. In addition to mental and physical trauma, cultural and identity loss are immeasurable. The crisis in Gaza has severe and lasting consequences for health, the environment, and regional stability. An end to the bombardment, along with urgent humanitarian aid, release of all hostages, infrastructure rebuilding, and environmental remediation, are essential to mitigate long-term impacts. (

Indexed as

Public HealthFood InsecurityFood SupplyHumansMiddle EastSanitation

Identifiers

PMID40499107
PMCPMC12160645

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.