Ref: 55/2014
Date: 21 May 2014
Time: 12:00 GMT
Israeli naval forces escalated their attacks against Palestinian fishermen in Gaza waters and increasingly chased Palestinian fishing boats within the fishing limit allowed for fishing. In this context, the Israeli forces arrested two fishermen confiscated a fishing boat off Rafah shore in the southern Gaza Strip. They also wounded a fisherman in the northern Gaza Strip. PCHR condemns the continued Israeli attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip and is concerned over the continued targeting of fishermen and their livelihoods. Economic and social rights of fishermen have been violated by the illegal naval blockade imposed by Israeli authorities on the Gaza sea.
According to the investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 22:30 on Monday, 19 May 2014, Israeli navy forces chased Palestinian fishing boats sailing about one nautical mile off Rafah shore and opened fire at them. They then surrounded 2 fishing boats boarded by 2 fishermen; Ayman (43) and Alaa’ Khalil al-Bardaweel (41), from Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, arrested them and confiscated their boat.
Fisherman ‘Adnan Khalil al-Bardaweel (53), their brother, said to a PCHR fieldworker that:
“At approximately 22:30 on Monday, 19 May 2014, four fishermen and I were on a fishing boat sailing one nautical mile off Rafah shore, and around 30 fishing boats were sailing near us. The Israeli naval forces suddenly surrounded a fishing boat boarded by my two brothers, Ayman and ‘Alaa’, and opened fire at them. They then arrested them and confiscated their fishing boat.”
In a separate incident on 17 May 2014, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing gunboats while sailing off Beit Lahia shore in the northern Gaza Strip. As a result, Hussein ‘Ali Yousif al-‘Asi (31), from Beit Lahia, sustained an injury to the right leg.
Hussein ‘Ali Yousif al-‘Asi (31) from Beit Lahia said to a PCHR fieldworker that:
“At approximately 16:00 on Saturday 17 May 2014, I went to fish off Beit Lahia shore. After preparing my fishing equipment. Before starting fishing, I was surprised that the Israeli gunboats opened fire in the vicinity of the area. As a result, other fishermen in the area and I fled for fear of being injured. However, I could not get far away from the area as I only moved two meters away. Meanwhile, I felt so much pain in the right leg and fell down. Some young men who were in the area took me to the main street, and one of them called an ambulance, which arrived 30 minutes later and transferred me to Shifa Hospital in Gaza to receive medical treatment. Doctors at the hospital told me that I have a fracture and laceration in the veins.”
PCHR condemns the continued Israeli attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip, and:
