Impact of the Israeli Occupation on Palestinian Women Health, Narrative Review

Violations of human rights have been linked to the ongoing occupation and attacks on Palestine since 1948. This comprehensive review aimed to shed light on the physical and mental health difficulties and challenges facing Palestinian women of reproductive age. This revealed the impact of the aggression on paralyzing the healthcare infrastructure, depriving access to water and electricity, food shortages, and targeting healthcare centers, hospitals. As results, there are documented increase in maternal and morbidity deaths, deprivation of basic human rights, inability to reach health care centers or hospitals, and poor mental health. All these repercussions have shown complications that clearly and explicitly affect the outcomes of pregnancy, breastfeeding, childbirth, and the postpartum period among Palestinian women who suffer in Gaza and the West Bank from the occupation, considering the potential ongoing consequences for women as well as society in general. This review illustrated the importance of emergency humanitarian intervention and the necessity of making international efforts to meet the health needs of women and society in general during and after the war period. It also emphasized the necessity of putting an end to this aggression, ceasefire, and occupation, which stand as a clear barrier to achieving sustainable development goals and violate all human rights at all levels. Comprehensive, systematic, and accurate studies are necessary to document the effects of wars on maternal health for the purpose of developing policies, health plans, and comprehensive care interventions based on scientific research, in the light of these difficult contexts.