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This paper explores classical and war-related factors associated with human insecurity reports in the Gaza Strip following the winter 2008–09 Israeli attack. A cross-sectional survey was conducted six months after the Israeli attack with adults from 3017 households. Results demonstrate that persons with greater human capital and socioeconomic resources were somewhat protected from human insecurity associated with the attack and siege. Results also underscore the significance of including both classical and war-related factors in assessing human insecurity in conflict, and the link between individual and communal/national security. While it is important to intervene by supporting Gazans with food and aid, interventions should also address the violence of war and ongoing siege as one of the causes of human insecurity.

Purpose This study investigates changes in the quality of life (QoL) of Gaza Palestinians before and after the Israeli winter 2008–2009 war using the World Health Organization’s WHOQOL-Bref; the extent to which this instrument adequately measures changing situations; and its responsiveness to locally developed human insecurity and distress measures appropriate for context. Methods Ordinary least squares regression analysis was performed to detect how demographic and socioeconomic variables usually associated with QoL were associated with human insecurity and distress. We estimated the usual baseline model for the three QoL domains, and a second set of models including these standard variables and human insecurity and distress to assess how personal exposure to political violence affects QoL. Results No difference between the quality of life scores in 2005 and 2009 was found, with results suggesting lack of sensitivity of WHOQOL-Bref in capturing changes resulting from intensification of preexisting political violence. Results show that human insecurity and individual distress significantly increased in 2009 compared to 2005. Conclusion Results indicate that a political domain may provide further understanding of and possibly increase the sensitivity of the instrument to detect changes in the Qol of Palestinians and possibly other populations experiencing intensified political violence.

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This study explores women's experiences of breast cancer in the occupied Palestinian territory. We use an inductive qualitative design with a thematic analytical approach for conducting and analyzing 35 semi-structured interviews with breast cancer patients. The interviews focused on diagnosis, experiences and coping with breast cancer, social support and care needs, and the impact of illness on their families and social relationships. Three themes emerged: (a) the transition from initial shock to the daily struggles with disruptions caused by illness, (b) the role of social support in helping women cope with the burden of disease, and the importance of (c) faith and reliance on God (tawakkul). In the Palestinian context, women's narratives highlighted the disruptive nature of breast cancer. Our findings underline the importance of social support provided by extended family members. Finally, faith is an important overarching theme that influences how women make sense of and cope with breast cancer.

The results of this study highlight the diversity and complexity of the social context, in particular the region where women live, and the issue of pregnancy wantedness in postpartum quality of life. They also call into question the services currently offered to postpartum women.

Background Conflict reduces availability of production input and income, increases the number of days households had to rely on less preferred foods, and limits the variety of foods eaten and the portion size of meals consumed. While existing studies examine the impact of conflict on different food security measures (e.g., Food Consumption Score, Food Insecurity Experience Scale), the relationship between these measures as well as their relationship with political, economic, and agricultural factors remain under explored. Food insecurity may not only be an externality of conflict but also food deprivation may be utilized as a weapon to discourage residency in contested territories or to incentivize rebellions. Methodology This paper examines the association between political factors (e.g., violence, policies that require permit for passage in one’s own hometown), economic factors (e.g., loss of assets, unemployment), agricultural factors (e.g., shortage of water, poor weather conditions), and food insecurity experience and dietary diversity in a conflict setting—that of the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). The study employs generalized structural equation models to analyze the ‘Survey on socio-economic conditions for Palestinian households 2014’ dataset compiled by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics—which contains a representative sample of the population in the oPt at governorate and locality levels. Results We find that in the West Bank, residence in Area C—administered by Israel in both civil and security issues and contains illegal Israeli settlements and outposts—is associated with a higher level of agricultural hardship (p < 0.01) but lower economic hardship (p < 0.01) and a higher dietary diversity (p < 0.001), as compared to those living outside of Area C. In the Gaza Strip, living within one kilometer to a buffer zone is associated with lower dietary diversity (p < 0.01), higher level of political hardship (p < 0.01), and higher level food insecurity experience (p < 0.01) compared to not living in close proximity to a buffer zone. Concomitantly, in the Gaza Strip, food insecurity experience is associated with approximately a one-point reduction in dietary diversity as measured by the food consumption score (p < 0.01). Conclusions The results suggest that broader socio-political conditions in the oPt impact different aspects of food security through augmenting the economic and agricultural hardships that are experienced by the residents. As such, it is important to address these broader political and economic structures in order to have more sustainable interventions in reducing food insecurity.