Ref: 115/2018

On Tuesday, 23 October 2018, Israeli naval forces arrested 2 fishermen and detained a fishing boat as part of the Israeli attacks against Palestinian fishermen and preventing them from freely sailing and accessing the fish breeding areas.

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 06:00 on Tuesday, 23 October 2018, the Israeli gunboats stationed off the northwestern shore of al-Waha resort, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at the Palestinian fishing boats that were sailing within 2 nautical miles.  The gunboats surrounded a fishing boat manned by Kareem Waheed Hussain Abu Hassan (29) and his brother Mohamed (27). Both of them are from al-Towam neighborhood in Jabalia.

The Israeli naval soldiers ordered both fishermen to take their clothes off, jump to the sea and swim towards one of the gunboats. The fishermen were arrested and the fishing boat was detained. At approximately 14:30 on the same day, the Israeli authorities released both fishermen while their boat was kept in custody.

PCHR emphasizes that the attacks by the Israeli naval forces against the fishermen in the Gaza Strip fall within the collective punishments imposed against the Palestinian civilians.  Moreover, PCHR stresses that the decision to reduce the area allowed for fishing violates the right to work recognized by Article (6) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.  Thus, PCHR:

• 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
• Calls upon the Israeli authorities to stop chasing the fishermen and enable them to fish freely, especially that they do not pose threat to the Israel authorities; and
• Calls for releasing the arrested fishermen and compensate them for their losses.