Ref: 36/2019

Israeli naval forces continue their attacks against the Palestinian fishermen in Gaza waters and prevent them from fishing freely and accessing the fish-breeding areas, especially that they do not pose threat to the Israel authorities.

According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 06:50 on Monday, 11 March 2019, Israeli gunboats stationed off Beit Lahia shore opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats. The Israeli gunboats then surrounded a fishing boat manned by Hasan Akram Diyab Zayid (31) and Mohamed ‘Adnan Mohamed al-Sultan (28), both of them are from al-Salateen neighborhood in Beit Lahia. The Israeli naval soldiers order the fishermen to take off their clothes, jump into the water and swim towards one of the gunboats. The fishermen were then arrested. Jehad al-Sultan, head of the fishermen’s union of fishing workers in the northern Gaza Strip, said to PCHR’s fieldworker that the Israeli naval forces’ attacks on Palestinian fishermen off Beit Lahia shore, in addition to arresting the two fishermen Zayid and al-Sultan occurred while sailing within one nautical mile. He added that the two fishermen were fishing freely without exceeding the allowed fishing area.

It should be noted that this attack is the fifth of its kind against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip over the past 3 days. According to PCHR’s documentation, the Israeli attacks over the past 3 days resulted in the arresting of 7 fishermen, detaining 2 fishing boats and damaging 3 others. Moreover, the Israeli warplanes fired 2 missiles at 2 buildings belonging to the General Union of Fishing Workers in the Central Gaza Strip and Khan Yunis.

PCHR condemns the ongoing Israeli attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip, which violate the right to life and work. PCHR also calls upon the international community to put pressure on the Israeli authorities to stop their attacks on Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip. PCHR also calls upon the Israeli authorities to stop chasing the fishermen and release them and compensate Palestinian fishermen for their losses due to the Israeli attacks.