Israeli Naval forces continued to carry out attacks on Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip during the reporting period[1] (01-28 February 2014), including 11 shooting incidents and a chasing incident that led to the arrest of 3 fishermen, including a child, and confiscation of 2 fishing boats belonging to Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip.

Although Israeli authorities limited the fishing distance in Gaza Sea to 6 nautical miles, they neither complied with this distance nor did they allow Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip to sail and fish freely, and continued attacks against them.  PCHR documented all attacks carried out within the distance of 6 nautical
miles, which proves that Israeli forces’ policies aim to tighten restrictions on the Gaza Strip’s fishermen and their sources of livelihood.

It should be mentioned that since 29 December 2013, Israeli naval forces has started an intensive campaign in the Gaza Sea.  They chased Palestinian fishing boats and prevented them from sailing beyond 4.5 nautical miles.  Moreover, they chased fishing boats sailing within 1 nautical mile off the northern Gaza shore and within 1 nautical mile off the Egyptian-Palestinian borders and prevented fishermen from approaching those areas.  The subsequent period witnessed shooting incidents at the Palestinian fishing boats.

Violations of the International Humanitarian
and Human Rights Law

Israel’s attacks against Palestinian fishermen, who do not pose any threat to Israeli soldiers, in the Gaza Strip constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian andhuman rights law, relevant to the protection of the civilian population and respect for its rights, including every person’s right to work, and the right to life, liberty and security of person, as codified in Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), despite the fact that Israel is a State Party to the Covenant.  Furthermore, these attacks occurred in a  time where the fishers did not pose any threat to the Israeli naval troops, as they were doing their job to secure a living.  Israeli violations in the reporting period were as follows: 

First: Firing at Fishing Boats in the Gaza
Strip Waters

During the reporting period, PCHR documented 11 cases in which Israeli forces fired at Palestinian fishermen in the sea off the Gaza Strip shore. Those attacks took place off Beit Lahia shore in the northern Gaza Strip; the Khan Younis shore in the southern Gaza Strip; and Deir al-Balah shore in the central Gaza Strip.  As a result, fishermen were forced to flee and leave the sea in all attacks.  It is noted that all these incidents took place within the 6 nautical miles allowed for fishermen to sail and fish in, according to the ceasefire agreement concluded between Israel and Palestinian armed groups under Egyptian and international auspices. 

Second: Arrests of Fishermen:

PCHR documented incidents in which Israeli naval forces chased and arrested 3 fishermen, including a child while they were sailing within about 1.5 nautical miles off Beit Lahia shore in the northern Gaza Strip.

– At approximately 06:30 on Tuesday, 11 February 2014, Israeli gunboats stationed off Beit Lahia shore, in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a group of fishing boats sailing within about 1.5 nautical miles.  Two Israeli gunboats surrounded a fishing boat boarded by Fadel Jamal Ramadan al-Sultan (24).  Israeli officers then ordered al-Sultan to jump into the water and swim towards one of the gunboats.  They arrested him and confiscated his fishing boat.  The Israeli gunboat headed directly towards another fishing  boat boarded by two fishermen, Mohammed ‘Abdel Nabi Rajab al-Sleibi (41) and his son Ahmed (17) from al-Shati’ refugee camp in Gaza City.  The Israeli officers ordered the two fishermen to jump into the water and to swim towards the gunboat, and then
confiscated their fishing boat.  At approximately 21:00 on the same day, the three fishermen were released.

Third: Confiscation of Fishing boats

During the reporting period, PCHR documented 1 chasing incident in the Gaza Waters resulting in the confiscation of 2 fishing boats while fishermen were sailing within about 1.5 nautical miles off the al-Wahah hore in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.  The two boats are still in custody.

   Table of Israeli
Attacks on Palestinian Fishermen in Gaza City in February 2014