Ref:  28/2020

The Israeli naval forces continued their attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Sea preventing them from sailing and fishing freely, without posing any threat to the lives of Israeli naval forces deployed in Gaza water.

According to the investigations of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 06:00 on Sunday, 29 March 2020, Israeli gunboats stationed northwest of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at 2 Palestinian fishing boats sailing within the allowed fishing area (3 nautical miles). As a result, a fisherman, who was on board, was shot and injured with a rubber bullet. He was transferred to the hospital for medical treatment and his injury was classified as moderate. Israeli naval soldiers also chased a fishing boat belonging to Mohammed Khalil Abu Ryalah that was in the area  and confiscated the fishing nets that were on board (approximately 15).

It should be noted that Israeli gunboats conducts daily chases of Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip, and open fire at them in order to terrify them and prevent them from sailing and accessing the zones rich in fish. The last of these attacks was on Saturday, 28 March 2020, when Israeli gunboats chased a Palestinian fishing boat sailing within the allowed fishing area (3 nautical miles) and opened fire at it. These attacks are added to the sum of Israeli attacks against Palestinian civilians, including the closure policy imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2007.

PCHR strongly condemns the Israeli ongoing attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip and calls upon the international community, including the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention, to intervene to stop all Israeli violations against fishermen and allow them to fish freely in the Gaza Sea. PCHR also calls upon the Israeli authorities to release all the Palestinian fishermen and the fishing boats and to compensate fishermen for damages.