Ref: 90/2023
Date: 28 August 2023
Time: 10:00 GMT

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the Israeli Occupation Forces’ (IOF) arrest of 5 Palestinian fishermen while sailing off al-Waha area, northwest of Beit Lahia, on Monday, 28 August 2023. PCHR affirms that IOF’s practices constitute a blatant violation of all international conventions and instruments, harm fishermen’s livelihoods, and exacerbate their economic and social conditions.

At approximately 07:45 on Monday, 28 August 2023, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Waha shore, northwest of Beit Lahia, north of the Gaza Strip, heavily opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats, surrounded two of them sailing within 2 nautical miles, and arrested the fishermen on board who were identified as: Saleem Jamal Hassan Nu’man (46), his two brothers, Mohammed (39) and Hasan (35), Waheed Said Ahmed Kaskeen (32), and Ahmed Sa’eed Fathi al-Sa’eedy (39). All the fishermen, from al-Shati refugee camp in western Gaza City, were taken to Ashdod Seaport while their fishing boats and equipment were confiscated.

According to PCHR’s investigations, one of the fishing boats manned by fishermen Hasan and Ahmed Nu’man and Waheed Kaskeen broke down off al-Waha shore. Subsequently, another fishing boat manned by fishermen Saleem Nu’man and Ahmed al-Sa’edy sailed to pull the broken boat to the shore before being confiscated by IOF, which surrounded and confiscated the two fishing boats and arrested the five fishermen on board.

It is noteworthy that IOF have escalated their attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Sea and arrested 12 of them in August 2023. They also restrict Palestinian fishermen’s work and only allow them to sail within 6 to 12 nautical miles in the western Gaza Strip. Since the beginning of 2023, PCHR has documented the injury of 14 fishermen, the arrest of 31 others, the confiscation of 8 fishing boats, and damage inflicted on 4 other boats.

PCHR emphasizes that the Israeli practices against the Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip constitute a grave breach of all international conventions and instruments, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. PCHR reiterates its call on the international community, including the States Parties to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, to obligate the Israeli occupation authorities to cease attacks and pursuit of Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza waters, allow fishermen to fish freely, release the fishermen detained in Israeli prisons, compensate all fishermen for the losses incurred due to the continued Israeli attacks, and release the fishing boats and equipment in IOF’s custody.