Ref: 148/2014
Date: 22 October 2014-10-23
Time: 11:30 GMT

Israeli naval forces escalated their attacks against Palestinian fishermen in Gaza waters and increasingly chased Palestinian fishing boats within the limit allowed for fishing. They arrested 5 fishermen and confiscated a boat off al-Sudaniya shore in the Northern Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (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 investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 08:00 on Wednesday, 22 October 2014, Israeli naval forces chased Palestinian fishing boats which were sailing at 3 miles off al-Sudaniya in the Northern Gaza Strip. Israeli boats opened fire at the fishermen and surrounded a fishing boat with 5 fishermen on board. Israeli forces arrested the fishermen and took them to Ashdod port and confiscated their boat. The fishermen were identified as: Emran (27); Muhammad (22); Fadi (26); Khalil Juhar Baker (22). The fishermen are still in Israeli custody.

It should be noted that Israeli naval forces have not complied with the ceasefire agreement concluded between Israel and Palestinian armed groups under Egyptian auspices on 26 August 2014. This agreement includes allowing Palestinian fishermen to sail within 6 nautical miles in the Gaza Sea. According to PCHR’s investigations, all attacks took place 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 livelihoods.

PCHR condemns the continued Israeli attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip, and:

1. Calls for immediately stopping the policy of chasing and arresting Palestinian fishermen, and allowing them to sail and fish freely;
2. Calls upon Israeli forces to release the detained fishermen and compensate them for the material damage that might have incurred to them;
3. Calls upon the international community, including the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, to immediately intervene to stop the Israeli violations against the Palestinian fishermen and allow them to sail and fish freely in the Gaza Sea.