Israeli gunboats shoot at Gazan fishermen, no injuries

Gaza, May 31, 2009 (Ramattan) – Israeli gunboats opened heavy fire at Palestinian fishermen in the northern coast of the Gaza Strip on Sunday morning, Palestinian security sources said.

Sources reported that the Israeli navy targeted a number of Gazan fishermen and their boats near Al-Sudaniya neighborhood north of Gaza, no injuries or damages were reported.

The Israeli warships frequently open fire at the coast of Gaza, targeting the Gazan fishermen and their boats.

The Israeli navy imposes tightened measures on the Palestinian fishermen and prevents them to sail more than 3 miles into Gaza regional water, what makes it difficult to find the good fish.

New Israeli attacks and abductions of Palestinian fishermen

The Israeli Navy continues its aggression towards the Palestinian fishermen. Since the declaration of the "ceasefire" at least 5 fishermen have been injured by gunfire in the sea while another 5 have been reportedly injured on shore by Israeli shelling. 40 abductions have been reported (at least 2 fishermen abducted twice) and 17 "confiscations" of fishing boats. About 10 fishing boats have been returned but with damages and equipment missing, and one hassaka was stolen again. Some of the latest incidents:

Wednesday 20^th of May 2009

Some hours before hundreds of Palestinian fishermen and supporters demonstrated in the sea, Khalil Abdullah Al Najar and his brother Ibrahim Abdullah Al Najar were abducted off shore of Rafah, while they were trying to collect their nets. Their hassaka (small fishing boat) along with the paddle and the net for sardines have been stolen. The two brothers were later released.

Khalil has been abducted again along with other 2 of his brothers and one of his cousins on the 25^th of March while fishing in a shanshula boat. The 4 fishermen were later released and after several days and the intervention of Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, the shanshula boat was also returned but without the motor.

Another brother, a cousin and an uncle of the 2 fishermen are prisoners in Israeli jails, they have been tortured and have been deprived of their right to be visited by their families.

Tuesday 26^th of May 2009

According to their testimony, Nahed Hassan Abdel Rahman Hassouna (41) and Mohammed Abdel Rahman Hassouna (45), at about 6.30 am, while they were fishing about 200 meters from the Rafah shore and about 3 km from the Egyptian border, they were approached by a zodiac of the Israeli Navy. The zodiac started to go around the hassaka. The Israeli soldiers ordered the Palestinian fishermen to leave their nets and gave them a cable to pull the small fishing boat towards a bigger gunboat. The 2 fishermen were ordered to take off their clothes, jump in the water and swim to the bigger Daboura gunboat. When they arrived they were handcuffed and blindfolded by the Israeli soldiers who took them along with their hassaka to Ashdod port.

According to the testimony of one of the 2 fishermen, the Israeli security officer asked them to collaborate with the Israeli military, to become spies. The fishermen refused. The reply of one of them was that he doesn't know anything and he only works from the sea to his house. So the Israelis accused them to have reached the Egyptian borders, something that the fishermen denied. Later, at about 6.45 pm they were released but their hassaka remains stolen along with the paddle.

The fishermen told the ISM Gaza Strip volunteers that this is the worst year for them ever and that the only thing they want is to survive and live with security.

The same night of 26^th of May, at about 11 pm, another brother of the Najar family, Youssef Abdullah Al Najar ( who was also abducted on the 25^th of March ) was attacked again by the Israeli Navy. According to his father Abdullah Khalil Abdullah Al Najar, the boat owner, Youssef was fishing in a felouka boat (see photo) when he was approached by an Israeli gunboat which started to make circles around the fishing boat. The waves made the felouka turn upside down and the fisherman lost part of his equipment: a 9hp 5 KW generator, which cost when is used 5,000 NIS, but it cost 8,000 NIS to buy a new one. And 2 projector lights 400W (see photo) which cost 100 US $ each.

Wednesday 27^th of May 2009

The next morning, approximately in the same area, another felouka (see photo) was attacked in the same way, and was turned upside down, and the boat owner Jamal Bassel lost a 10hp 5KW generator that costs about 1,000 US $. Also 2 of his projector lights were damaged and it will cost him about 100 to 150 NIS to fix each one of them. According to him, one of the fishermen in the felouka was lightly injured during the incident when the paddle hit him at the chest.

In another area, in northern Gaza Strip, Zaki Taroush (45) and his son Zayed Zaki Moustafa Taroush (17) were fishing at about 200 m south of Wafa and about 600 m from the coast. At about 6.00 am they were approached by 2 Izraeli zodiacs who opened fire around the hassaka. Zaki Taroush tried to escape but on of the zodiacs blocked it's way. The Israeli soldiers told the Palestinian fishermen to go west. Zaki replied that they were fishing in an allowed area. But the Israeli soldiers ordered him to stop talking and go west. Zaki saw another hassaka forced to go west, with Jihad As Sultan and Mohammed Ahmed Abou Warda. Zaki was forced to paddle his hassaka for about an hour and a half till he reached a buoy marking the borders. He was then forced to strip completely naked and then jump in the water and swim for about 50 meters to an Israeli gunboat. There him and his son were blindfolded and handcuffed. In fact Zaki was blindfolded twice and very tightly something that made him hurt. He was given clothes and his son a blanket. He was brought to Ashdod, examined by a doctor and made sign a paper that his health was OK. He was then taken for interrogation and he recognized the same officer that has interrogated him before. [Zaki Taroush, with another of his sons, were abducted on the 13^th of March. They were later released but their hassaka has been confiscated for almost 2 months, and it was returned a couple of weeks ago, along with 8 other hassakas, through the Karem Abou Salem crossing. The fishermen had to pay about 150 NIS for the transportation of the hassakas back home. Zaki has also lost a house that has built for his sons and it was bulldozed by the IOF during the recent war]

Zaki Taroush was interrogated about an incident that happened on the 13^th of April and the Israelis claim that it was an attack from the Palestinian armed resistance. It happened in the area that usually Zaki is fishing. He told them that he wasn't there that day but they didn't believe him. He was trying to explain that he couldn't possibly be there because his hassaka was still "confiscated" by the Israeli Navy. The Israelis told him that he has to be responsible for his area and not to worry because they will protect him. He replied that he can't give them information because that will make him spy for all of his life and finally he will be killed by the resistance. He cannot work for them and he has to work to bring food for 10 people at home. They Israelis asked him to keep in touch with them. They asked for his mobile number, and said that he couldn't remember. Then they found his house number and they called and put him to speak with his other son. At about 7 o'clock they were all released.

Jihad As Sultan (46) had a very similar story to tell. The only difference is that he was accused to cross the Israeli borders. The Israelis shot the balloons that were holding his nets and he lost them, which makes a loss of 1,000 US $, but he estimates the total loss of his fishing property up to 5.000 US $. He was also asked to work for the Israelis. They said that if he wants to work in this area he has to work for them. He was also given a vague sketch [see photo] showing roughly the areas that the Palestinian fishermen are allowed to fish. While he was in custody he managed to see a lot of the nets stolen from the Gazan fishermen. It was the third time that Jihad was abducted by the Israeli Navy. The first time was 9 years ago and the second, last August.

Note: ISM Gaza Strip volunteers, in the evening of 28^th of May, while they were heading to Sudaniya to meet the Taroush family, they witnessed Israeli gunboats open fire towards Palestinian fishing boats. The attack was obvious as the Israelis were also using tracer bullets. During the meeting with the fishermen, the attack has been intensified and the Israeli Navy used also shells.

ISM Gaza Strip

Photos: Shadi Slman

Israel seizes four Gaza fishermen

Date: 27 / 05 / 2009 Time: 17:53

Gaza – Ma’an – Israel’s navy seized four Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Gaza on Wednesday, according to the Palestinian-International Campaign Against the Siege.

A statement from the group said Israeli warships surrounded Palestinian fishing boats off the northern coast of Gaza and then arrested the four. The arrests come a day after two other fishermen were seized from their vessel off the coast of Rafah, at the southern end of the Strip.

The statement denounced what it said were escalated attacks on Gazan fishermen and also called on Israel to return confiscated fishing boats.

An Israeli military spokesperson said he had no information on the reported detentions.
------------------------
27-5-2009

Al Mezan

The IOF Detains Four Fishers in the Open Sea to the North of Beit Lahia Town At app. 7.30 on 27 May 2009, the IOF, stationed on the open sea to the north of Beit Lahia Town, detained four fishermen who were fishing close to Al Waha tourist resort and took them to an unknown destination.

Israeli navy seizes two Gaza fishermen

Date: 26 / 05 / 2009 Time: 12:17

[Ma'anImages]

Gaza – Ma’an – The Israeli Navy seized two Palestinian fishermen from a small boat off the coast of the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning, according to witnesses.

Fisherman Nizar Ayyash told Ma’an that an Israeli gunboat stopped the fishermen at sea and took three of them on board their own ship: Nahed Hassan Hassouneh and Muhammad Abdel Salam Hassouneh. Both are from the Tal As-Sultan area of the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.

Witnesses also said that Israeli navy ships fired on Palestinian fishing boats in the Rafah harbor early on Tuesday, causing no injuries.

26-5-2009

Al Mezan

IOF Gunboats Detain Fishers at Rafah Beach

At app. 9.30am on 26 may 2009, the IOF gunboats opened heavy fire and launched artillery shells at Palestinian fishing boats at Rafah beach, but no injuries were reported. They also detained two fishermen; 38-year-old Nahed Abd Ar-Rahman Hasouna and Mohammed Abd As-Sala and took them to an unknown destination.

Israeli navy kidnaps Palestinian fishermen off Gaza shore

Tuesday May 26, 2009 16:25 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

Israeli naval forces kidnapped on Tuesday morning two Palestinian fishermen off the Rafah shores, southern Gaza Strip.

Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Gaza City May 2008 Wissam Nassar - MaanImages

Local sources said that the two men where stopped by navy boats then were kidnapped an taken to unknown locations.

Meanwhile Israeli navy opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats as they were ready to leave Rafah see port on Tuesday at dawn, damage was reported but no injuries.

GAZA: INTERVIEW OF FATHER OF FISHERMAN KILLED BY ISRAELIS

GAZAN FATHER OF FISHERMAN, HANY AL NAJAR, KILLED BY ISRAELIS RECALLS HIS SON AND ATTACKS ON FISHING BOATS.

GAZA: INTERVIEW OF FISHERMAN WOUNDED BY ISRAELIS

GAZAN FISHERMAN, SAMI AL GOAGA, DESCRIBES HOW HE LOST HIS HAND IN ATTACK BY ISRAELIS.

Israeli warships fire on Gazan fishermen off northern coast

Date: 22 / 05 / 2009 Time: 09:27

[Ma'anImages]

Gaza – Ma’an – Israeli warships used machine guns to fire on Palestinian fishermen in the Sudaniyya area off the northern Gaza City coast on Friday morning. No casualties have been reported.

Israeli warships have not left the Gaza coast since the Israeli war on the area and periodically fire on Gazan fishermen, injuring several over the past months and damaging dozens of boats.



Israeli navy shoots at Gazan fishermen, no injuries

Please wait ... Gaza May 22, 2009 (Ramattan) – Israeli gunboats opened heavy fire at Palestinian fishermen in the northern coast of the Gaza Strip on Friday, Palestinian security sources said. Sources reported that the Israeli navy targeted a number of Gazan fishermen and their boats near Al-Sudaniya neighborhood north of Gaza, no injuries were reported. Several boats were damaged due to the Israeli navy attack, according to the sources. The Israeli warships frequently open fire at the coast of Gaza, targeting the Gazan fishermen and their boats. The Israeli navy imposes tightened measures on the Palestinian fishermen and prevents them to sail more than 3 miles into Gaza regional water, what makes it difficult to find the good fish.

Damaged Palestinian fishing boats 20/5/2009

These are some of the "hassakas" , small fishing boats of poor Palestinian fishermen in Salateen, Gaza Strip, damaged by the Israeli Navy. The first two were stolen in March 2009 and were returned after two months, about a week ago, in this condition. The third one was destroyed in 2006 by Israeli Navy shelling of the beach

Gaza fishermen protest Israeli harassment at sea

Date: 20 / 05 / 2009 Time: 16:38

[Ma'anImages]

Gaza – Ma’an – Hundreds of Gazan fishermen launched their boats for a mass demonstration at sea Wednesday, in protest against the constant threat they are under when they sail into fishing waters.

Dozens of fishermen have been attacked, boats damaged and hundreds scared off from entering the coastal waters to fish, said fishermen at a news conference directed at international human rights organizations. The protesters demanded they be guaranteed protection to go about their livelihoods.

More than 3,500 fishermen and 2,000 workers in fish-industry and related jobs rely on the ability to access fishing waters off the Gaza coast. “Our boats and our lives should not be in danger; we should not be harassed by Israeli soldiers,” one spokesman said.

“I dream of the moment I get to sail in my boat and just sing and fish, without having to worry about where the gunboats are waiting for me,” said a protester. “But that never happens.”

Palestinian fishermen protest Zionist practices against them

[ 20/05/2009 - 09:37 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)- Hundreds of Palestinian fishermen backed by tens of foreign supporters demonstrated on Wednesday at the Sea of Gaza, protesting the Israeli occupation's continued aggressions against them. The Palestinian international campaign against the siege, which organized the demonstration, said that the Palestinian fishermen were exposed to daily Israeli harsh measures, including arresting them, and confiscating their fishing boats and equipment. The Israeli Navy has warned Palestinian fishermen not to sail more than 3 miles into the sea and banned them from fishing beyond that limit although international agreements give them the full right to cruise for 12 miles in the sea. "Palestinian fishermen faced two bitter options; giving up fishing and facing the nightmare of poverty and hunger, or challenging the Israeli restrictions risking one's life", the organizers of the demonstration pointed out. According to the campaign, there were 3,500 Palestinian fishermen, and around 2,000 workers working in fishing-related professions in the densely Gaza Strip who are totally depend on fishing as their only source of income. It added that it is about time for the international community to effectively interfere and to pressure the IOA not to "squeeze" the Palestinian fishermen, and to allow them fishing in accordance to international agreements and conventions.

IOF Gunboats Shell Rafah Beach, Detain Two Fishers

20-5-2009

Al Mezan

At app. 9.30 on 20 May 2009, IOF gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats at Rafah beach. They also detained khalil Abdullah An-Najjar, 20, and his brother Ibrahim, 17, while they were on a boat in the open sea and took the to an unknown destination.

IOF Gunboats Shell Beit Lahia Beach

17-5-2009

Al Mezan

The IOF gunboats, stationed in the sea, fired intensive fire at Palestinian fishing boats, close to the western area of Al-Waha resort, northwest Beit Lahia town, in the morning and evening of May 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th 2009. The shelling also hit As-Sodania area close to the beach, but, no injuries were reported.

PCHR report 7/5-13/5/2009: 4 fishermen arrested

extract from PCHR weekly report No 19/2009 ( 7/5-13/5/2009) published on 14/5

Thursday, 07 May 2009

At approximately 08:00, an IOF gunboat opened fire at a Palestinian fishing boat carrying four fishermen, opposite to al-Sudaniya beach in the northern Gaza Strip. The gunboat then moved closer to the fishing boat. IOF naval troops ordered the fishermen to take their clothes off and swim to the gunboat. They held three fishermen and ordered the fourth one to sail the fishing boat towards Ashdod Harbor in Israel. IOF released the four fishermen that evening. They have been identified as: Rami 'Abdul Mo'ti al-Habeel, 30; Mohammed 'Abdul Mo'ti al-Habeel, 18; 'Ali Abu Riala, 22; and 'Ali Baker, 40.

Saturday, 09 May 2009

In the evening, IOF gunboats fired a number of shells at Palestinian fishing boats to the west of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip. No casualties or damage were reported.

Sunday, 10 May 2009

In the morning, IOF gunboats fired a number of shells at Palestinian fishing boats to the west of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip. No casualties or damage were reported.

Israeli gunboats fire at Palestinian fishing boats

[ 11/05/2009 - 11:01 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- Israeli gunboats on Sunday shelled a number of Palestinian fishing boats off the coast of Beit Lahia to the north of the Gaza Strip using heavy machineguns and sonic bombs, locals reported. They said that the gunboats, which were roaming the sea off the Palestinian beaches, damaged a number of those fishing boats but no casualties were reported. The Israeli shelling, however, panicked Palestinian citizens who were at the beach at the time, the sources said, adding that the systematic Israeli shelling and firing at Palestinian fishermen had greatly affected their work for years. They said that fishermen's lives were at constant risk other than their detention and the destruction of their boats.

Israeli navy shoots at Gazan fishermen, no injuries

Gaza, May 9, 2009 (Ramattan) – Israeli gunboats opened heavy fire at Palestinian fishermen in the northern coast of the Gaza Strip on Saturday, Palestinian security sources said.

Sources reported that the Israeli navy targeted a number of Gazan fishermen and their boats near Al-Sudaniya neighborhood north of Gaza, no injuries or damages were reported.

The Israeli warships frequently open fire at the coast of Gaza, targeting the Gazan fishermen and their boats.

The Israeli navy imposes tightened measures on the Palestinian fishermen and prevents them to sail more than 3 miles into Gaza regional water, what makes it difficult to find the good fish.

Gaza boats under attack; three attacks in two days

Date: 08 / 05 / 2009 Time: 09:17

Israeli gunboats off Gaza coast [Ma'anImages]

Gaza – Ma’an – Israeli war boats opened fire on Palestinian fishing boats near the coast of Tel As-Sultan in the southern Gaza Strip Friday afternoon, six hours after an attack on a boat off the northern coast.

An early morning attack on a Gazan shipping boat was reported off the As-Sudanieh coast north of Gaza City. No injuries were reported from that attack but damage was done to the boat.

The attacks mark the third in two days after four men were seized from their fishing boat which came under attack at noon Thursday. The men remain in Israeli custody.

Please wait ... Israeli warships open fire at Gazan fishermen, no injuries Gaza, May 8, 2009 (Ramattan) - The Israeli navy opened fire on Friday morning towards Palestinian fishermen in the northern coast of Gaza Strip, Palestinian security sources said. The sources added that the Israeli gunboats opened heavy fire, targeting the Gazan fishermen and their boats near Al-Sudaniya neighborhood north of Gaza, no injuries were reported. Earlier on Thursday, a Palestinian woman was injured as the Israeli army opened heavy fire towards Palestinian farmers in the city of Rafah south of Gaza. The Israeli navy imposes tightened measures on the Palestinian fishermen and prevents them to sail more than 3 miles into Gaza regional water, what makes it difficult to find the good fish.

Israeli navy seizes four Gaza fishermen, fires on boat

Date: 07 / 05 / 2009 Time: 16:08

[Ma'anImages]

Gaza – Ma’an – Israeli warships surrounded and seized a fishing boat and four fishermen on the coast near Gaza City Thursday afternoon.

Eyewitnessed said several boats obstructed the path of the shipping vessel, which was on its way out to sea when the naval ships opened fire on the boat.

The boat belongs Abd Al-Mu’ti Al-Hbeil, who is believed to be one of those detained. The three others have not been identified. No injuries have been reported.

Israeli warships open fire at Gazan fishermen, no injuries

Please wait ... Gaza, May 2, 2009 (Ramattan) - The Israeli navy opened fire on Saturday towards Palestinian fishermen in the northern coast of Gaza Strip, Palestinian security sources said. The sources added that the Israeli gunboats opened heavy fire, targeting the Gazan fishermen and their boats near Al-Sudaniya neighborhood north of Gaza, no injuries were reported. Earlier today, At least five Palestinians were wounded and two others were reported missing as Israeli warplanes targeted the "tunnels area" at the Rafah border with Egypt. The Israeli navy imposes tightened measures on the Palestinian fishermen and prevents them to sail more than 3 miles into Gaza regional water, what makes it difficult to find the good fish.

Israeli occupation gunboats fire at fishermen's boats off the coast of Rafah

[ 01/05/2009 - 11:57 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- Israeli occupation navy gunboats on Friday morning opened fire towards Palestinian fishermen's boats off the coast of Rafah and Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Local sources said that the assault by the Israeli occupation navy on the Palestinian fishing boats did not result in any human casualties. Such assaults on fishing boats are common place in the sea of Gaza and they affect the fishermen as well as residents of coastal areas whose houses are often hit by bullets and missiles fired from Israeli occupation gunboats. Please wait ... Israeli navy opens fire at Palestinian fishermen in Gaza Gaza, May 1, 2009 (Ramattan) - The Israeli navy opened fire on Friday towards Palestinian fishermen in the southern coast of Gaza Strip, Palestinian security sources said. The sources added that the Israeli gunboats opened heavy fire, targeting the Gazan fishermen and their boats near the cities of Khanyounis and Rafah south of Gaza, no injuries were reported. Earlier on Friday, the Israeli army opened fire at a group of Palestinian farmers while they were planting in their agriculture fields east of Rafah, no causalities were reported. After Israel's 23-day offensive against Gaza three months ago, the Israeli gunboats frequently target the Gazan fishermen along the shore of Gaza. The Israeli navy imposes tightened measures on the Palestinian fishermen and prevents them to sail more than 3 miles into Gaza regional water, what makes it difficult to find the good fish.