Ref: 21/2015
Date: 10 May 2015
Time: 12:30 GMT

Israeli naval forces have escalated their military attacks during the last two days against the Palestinian fishermen in Gaza Sea and wounded two fishermen. They also arrested another two fishermen and confiscated a fishing boat in addition to cutting off pieces of net belonging to the Gaza fishermen in separate incidents. These attacks coincided with the beginning of the sardine season in Gaza sea to compensate fishermen for their losses due to the Israeli attacks against them that denied them access to the allowed fishing area throughout the year. All of this indicates that the Israeli policy of targeting livelihoods fishermen continues as a form of collective punishment which is prohibited by the International humanitarian law and international human rights law.

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 18:40 on Saturday, 09 May 2015, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Waha shore, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing within less than one nautical mile from the beach. An Israeli gunboat approached a fishing boat belonging to ‘Issa Nafez Abu Riyalah and Ra’ed Sa’id al-‘Ashi, both from al-Shati’ refugee camp in Gaza City. The fishing boat was boarded by Mohammed No’man Rabi’a al-Sultan (23) and Hatem al-‘Abed ‘Ashour al-Sultan (29), both are from al-Salatin neighborhood in Beit Lahia. The Israeli naval soldiers forced the fishermen to jump into the water and swim towards the Israeli gunboat. The Israeli soldiers then arrested the two fishermen and confiscated their boat. As a result of this attack, 17 pieces of fishing nets were lost. It should be mentioned that the area witnessed heavy shooting, which continued from 18:00 to 22:00 at the Palestinian fishing boats.

In another attack, at approximately 19:30 on Friday, 08 May 2015, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Waha shore, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at the Palestinian fishing boats. As a result, Sharif Mohammed ‘Abed al-Sultan (42) from al-‘Atatrah neighborhood in Beit Lahia was hit with a rubber-coated bullet to the left leg while he was sailing within one nautical mile from the beach together with his son, Uranus (19). The wounded fisherman was taken to Kamal ‘Edwan Hospital to receive medical treatment, and the medical sources described his wound as minor. The shooting damaged and cut off dozens of pieces of fishing nets belonging to other fishermen.

In a third attack, at approximately 17:30 on Friday, 08 May 2015, two Israeli gunboats opened fire at a fishing boat belonging to Fahed Ziyad Baaker while sailing within 3 nautical miles off al-Soudaniyah shore, north of Gaza City. The Israeli naval soldiers surrounded the boat

boarded by 4 fishermen and opened fire at it wounding Ziyad Fahed Baker (21) to the left leg. He was then taken to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, and medical sources described his wound as moderate.

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

1. Calls for allowing Palestinian fishermen to sail and fish freely and immediately stopping the Israeli policy of chasing and arresting them while at sea;
2. Demands compensation for the fishermen for the physical and material damage caused to them and their property as a result of these violations;
3. 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 intervene immediately to stop the Israeli violations against the Palestinian fishermen, and to allow them to sail and fish freely in the Gaza sea.