PCHR
Sunday, 26 September 2010 10:30
Ref: 89/2010
In a new crime of those committed against Palestinian civilians, on Friday morning, 24 September 2010, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) killed a Palestinian fisherman while fishing with his cousins opposite to al-Sudaniya beach in the northern Gaza City. It should be noted that Israeli gunboats daily chase Palestinian fishermen in the sea and threaten their sources of livelihood through continuously firing at their boats, detaining them and confiscating their fishing tools.
According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) and the testimony of a fisherman, who was on the boat, at approximately 09:00 on Friday, 24 September 2010, Mohammed Mansour Bakr, 20, and three of his cousins sailed on a boat belonging to their family opposite to al-Sudaniya beach, north of Gaza City, for fishing. While they were 2,000 meters way from the beach and a similar distance from the naval border, an Israeli gunboat approached at a distance of 100 meters and started heavily firing at the fishing boat without any reason or warning. Mohammed was shot by a bullet to the right side. He fell inside the boat and was bleeding amidst screams of his cousins requesting Israeli soldiers to stop fire, as Mohammed was wounded. However, the Israeli soldiers continued to fire. Approximately 10:00 minutes later, IOF retreated, the Bakrs were able to reach the beach, and transported their cousin to Kamal Nasser Hospital in Beit Lahia, but he passed away.
PCHR condemns this new crime and:
1) Calls upon the international community, particularly the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention 1949, to immediately intervene and exert pressure on IOF to stop all attacks on the Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip, including allowing them to freely sail and fish in the regional waters of the Gaza Strip;
2) Calls for immediate intervention to make IOF stop all forms of grave violations committed against fishermen by its navy, including terrorizing fishermen, firing at them, and confiscating their boats and fishing tools.
