Ref: 105/2021

Date: 29 July 2021

Time: 12:10 GMT

On Thursday, 29 July 2021, Israeli naval forces arrested two fishermen and confiscated their fishing boat while at sea off Beit Lahia shores, in northern Gaza Strip. This incident falls under the recurrent IOF attacks against Palestinian fishermen in an effort to deny them access to work freely and to deny them access to areas with high fish populations. IOF announced on 25 July 2021 reducing the allowed fishing area from 12 to 6 nautical miles, causing serious financial loss to fishermen and negatively affecting their living and economic conditions, which is another example to the Israeli systematic economic strangulation policy employed against the Gaza Strip population, particularly fishermen.

According to PCHR investigations, at approximately 06:00 on Thursday, 29 July 2021, Israeli gunboats -that are stationed off Gaza’s northern shore- chased Palestinian fishing boats sailing at 3 nautical miles. The Israeli gunboats opened heavy fire at the boats, surrounded Mohammed Abdul-Razeq Said Baker’s (50) fishing boat and arrested him along with his 18-year-old son, Mohammed. Baker and his son, from Gaza City, was later released at 12:00 the same day via sea, and their boat was also released after the intervention of the Palestinian Civil Liaison.

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights asserts that the Israeli naval forces’ attacks on Palestinian fishermen is a manifestation of the Israeli collective punishment policy practiced against Palestinian civilians; and confirms that the decision to reduce the fishing area is a violation of the right to work as per Article 6 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Hereby, PCHR:

• Demands the Israeli occupation authorities immediately reverse the decision to reduce the fishing area, and to allow fishermen to work freely.
• Calls upon the international community, including the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, to intervene immediately to stop all Israeli violations against fishermen, and to allow the latter to fish freely in the Gaza Sea.
• Demands the Israeli occupation authorities to cease immediately its policy of chasing fishermen and to enable them to work freely, particularly as they do not pose any threat to the occupation.