Environmental Health (Jun 2024)
A call from 40 public health scientists for an end to the continuing humanitarian and environmental catastrophe in Gaza
- Leslie London,
- Andrew Watterson,
- Donna Mergler,
- Maria Albin,
- Federico Andrade-Rivas,
- Agostino Di Ciaula,
- Pietro Comba,
- Fernanda Giannasi,
- Rima R Habib,
- Alastair Hay,
- Jane Hoppin,
- Peter Infante,
- Mohamed Jeebhay,
- Karl Kelsey,
- Rokho Kim,
- Richard Lemen,
- Hester Lipscomb,
- Elsebeth Lynge,
- Corrado Magnani,
- Celeste Monforton,
- Benoit Nemery,
- Vera Ngowi,
- Dennis Nowak,
- Iman Nuwayhid,
- Christine Oliver,
- David Ozonoff,
- Domyung Paek,
- Varduhi Petrosyan,
- Christopher J Portier,
- Beate Ritz,
- Linda Rosenstock,
- Kathleen Ruff,
- Peter Sly,
- Morando Soffritti,
- Colin L. Soskolne,
- William Suk,
- Benedetto Terracini,
- Harri Uolevi Vainio,
- Paolo Vineis,
- Roberta White
Affiliations
- Leslie London
- School of Public Health, University of Cape Town
- Andrew Watterson
- Occupational and Environmental Health Research Group, Stirling University
- Donna Mergler
- CINBIOSE, University of Quebec at Montreal
- Maria Albin
- Karolinska Institutet
- Federico Andrade-Rivas
- University of Victoria
- Agostino Di Ciaula
- University of Bari Medical School
- Pietro Comba
- Epidemiology Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità
- Fernanda Giannasi
- Civil and Occupational Safety Engineer
- Rima R Habib
- Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut
- Alastair Hay
- Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine (LICMM), Leeds University
- Jane Hoppin
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University
- Peter Infante
- OSHA Health Standards
- Mohamed Jeebhay
- School of Public Health, University of Cape Town
- Karl Kelsey
- Brown University
- Rokho Kim
- The Won Jin Occupational Health Foundation and Green Hospital
- Richard Lemen
- United States Assistant Surgeon General (retired)
- Hester Lipscomb
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Duke University Medical Center
- Elsebeth Lynge
- University of Copenhagen
- Corrado Magnani
- University of Eastern Piedmont at Novara
- Celeste Monforton
- Texas State University
- Benoit Nemery
- Centre for Environment and Health, KU Leuven
- Vera Ngowi
- Independent researcher
- Dennis Nowak
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU)
- Iman Nuwayhid
- Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut
- Christine Oliver
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
- David Ozonoff
- Boston University School of Public Health
- Domyung Paek
- National Cancer Center, Green Hospital
- Varduhi Petrosyan
- Turpanjian College of Health Sciences, American University of Armenia
- Christopher J Portier
- CJP Consulting
- Beate Ritz
- UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles
- Linda Rosenstock
- UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles
- Kathleen Ruff
- RightOnCanada
- Peter Sly
- Children’s Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, University of Queensland
- Morando Soffritti
- Ramazzini Institute
- Colin L. Soskolne
- University of Alberta
- William Suk
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill
- Benedetto Terracini
- University of Torino
- Harri Uolevi Vainio
- Finnish Institute for Occupational Health
- Paolo Vineis
- Imperial College
- Roberta White
- Boston University School of Public Health
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-024-01097-9
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 23,
no. 1
pp. 1 – 6
Abstract
Abstract An under-recognised aspect of the current humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is the impact of the war on the environment and the associated risks for human health. This commentary contextualises these impacts against the background of human suffering produced by the overwhelming violence associated with the use of military force against the general population of Gaza. In calling for an immediate cessation to the violence, the authors draw attention to the urgent need to rebuild the health care system and restore the physical and human infrastructure that makes a liveable environment possible and promotes human health and well-being, especially for the most vulnerable in the population. Environmental remediation should therefore form one of the most important parts of international efforts to assist reconstruction, through which we hope Palestinians and Israelis will achieve lasting peace, health, and sustainable development, all as part of accepted international human rights obligations.
Keywords
