Ref: 33/2020 

Israeli naval forces continue their attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Sea preventing them from sailing and fishing freely, despite that fishermen posed no 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 06:35 on Wednesday, 08 April 2020, Israeli gunboats stationed northwest of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip, chased Palestinian fishing boats sailing within the allowed fishing area (3 nautical miles) and opened fire at a fishing boat. As a result,  fisherman, Ibrahim Amin Rushdi Abu Wardah (23), from Jabalia, was shot and injured with rubber bullets in his right leg and the palm of his right hand as he was on the fishing boat. Abu-Wardah was taken to the Indonesian Hospital for medical treatment, where his injury was classified as moderate and he was diagnosed with a fracture in the hand.

It should be noted that Israeli gunboats conduct 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.

PCHR strongly condemns the ongoing Israeli 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 compensate fishermen for damages and the continued attacks against them.