Ref: 34/2020 

Israeli naval forces continue their attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Sea  preventing them from sailing and fishing freely and accessing the zones rich in fish, despite that fishermen posed no threat to the lives of Israeli naval forces deployed in Gaza water. The Israeli naval forces’ attacks constitute a violation of the rules of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including Article 6 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

According to the investigations of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 07:50 on Thursday, 09 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,  two fishermen Obai ‘Adel Mohamed Jarbou’ (21) and Ahmed ‘Abed al-Fattah Ahmed al-Sharfi (23), both are from al-Shati’ camp in Gaza City, were shot and injured with rubber bullets throughout their bodies. They were taken to the Indonesian Hospital, where their injuries were classified as minor.

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. The latest Israeli naval forces’ attack was on Wednesday, 08 April 2020, as 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, a fisherman was shot and injured.