Ref: 10/2015
Date: 05 March 2015
Time: 12:00 GMT

Israeli gunboats chased and opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing within two nautical miles off al-Sudaniya shore, north of Gaza. As a result, two fishermen were wounded, four others were arrested and a fishing boat was confiscated. The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) strongly condemns the Israeli attacks against Palestinian fishermen, which violate the fishermen’s right to fish freely in the Gaza Strip sea. PCHR 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 07:30 on Thursday, 05 March 2015, Israeli gunboats chased about 30 Palestinian fishing boats sailing within two nautical miles off al-Mathaf Hotel in al-Sudaniya area, northwest of Gaza City. Two gunboats and two inflatable boats of the Israeli navy approached and started firing at the Palestinian fishing boats. As a result, Zeyad Fahed Zeyad Baker (21) sustained a bullet wound to the buttock and another bullet wound to the right leg, and Eid Mohsen Eid Baker (25) sustained a bullet wound to the left leg. A third fisherman was on board of the boat.

Fisherman Fahed Zeyad Hassan Baker (40) said to a PCHR fieldworker that he was with the company of 4 fishermen on board a fishing boat when Israeli gunboats approached and started opening fire. As a result, Eid Baker, who was on the boat, was wounded. He added that he saw his son Zeyad Baker when he was wounded on board another nearby boat. Baker said that dozens of fishermen in the sea were frightened and were forced to jump into the water to avoid fire. The fishermen were able to rescue the wounded ones and take them from the sea to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City for medical treatment. The two wounded fishermen received medical treatment and went home.

Another fisherman said to the PCHR fieldworker that Israeli gunboats seized a fishing boat belonging to a fisherman from the Zaidan family and arrested four fishermen on board the boat. They then transported the fishing boat to Ashdod port. The four fishermen, who have been detained so far, were identified as: Mahmoud Hassan Zaidan (54); Rami Mahmoud Zaidan (37); Mohammed Rasem Hassouna (22); and Mohammed Nabil al-Najjar (28).

PCHR strongly condemns the Israeli attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip and calls for:

• Immediate stoppage of chasing Palestinian fishermen and allowing them to sail and fish freely;
• Releasing the arrested fishermen and reimbursement of the Israeli violations’ victims for the material damage; and
• The international community, including the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention 1949, to intervene to stop all Israeli violations against fishermen and allow them fish freely in the Gaza Strip sea.