Ref: 67/2014
Date: 19 June 2014
Time: 11:30 GMT

Israeli naval forces escalated their attacks against Palestinian fishermen in Gaza waters and increasingly chased Palestinian fishing boats within the limit allowed for fishing. In this context, Israeli forces arrested two fishermen and confiscated a fishing boat off Beit Lahia shore in the northern Gaza Strip. They also opened fire at the fishing boats sailing 2 nautical miles off the shore. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the continued Israeli attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip and is concerned over the continued targeting of fishermen and their livelihoods. Economic and social rights of fishermen have been violated by the illegal naval blockade imposed by Israeli authorities on the Gaza Sea.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 21:30 on Thursday, 19 June 2014, Israeli naval forces chased Palestinian fishing boats sailing about 2 nautical miles off Beit Lahia shore and opened fire at them. They then surrounded a fishing boat boarded by 2 fishermen; Ramez Suheil Sa’dallah (27) and Ihab Subhi Sa’id Sa’dallah (21), both from al-Sheikh Redwan neighborhood in Gaza City, arrested them and confiscated their boat. The two fishermen are still in custody.

PCHR condemns the continued Israeli attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip, and:

1. Calls for immediately stopping the policy of chasing and arresting Palestinian fishermen, and allowing them to sail and fish freely; and
2. Calls upon the international community, including the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, to immediately intervene to stop the Israeli violations against the Palestinian fishermen and allow them to sail and fish freely in the Gaza Sea.