27-12-2010
Palestinian fishermen in Gaza continue to be subject to unreasonable restrictions and attacks by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) seriously curtailing their right to work. Israeli imposed restrictions prohibit Gaza fishermen from fishing more than three nautical miles off the coast except at the northern and southernmost borders. It is common for IOF soldiers to open fire on fishermen, pursue them in the water while they are fishing, and sabotage and confiscate their equipment, including their nets and boats.
Such acts constitute flagrant violations of Israel’s legal obligations, as an occupying power, under international law. They violate the Fishermen’s rights to life, work, safety and bodily integrity. They also infringe upon the right not to be tortured and prevent them from maintaining an adequate standard of living.
Download File
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
Main office Al Mena, Omar El-Mukhtar Street, Western Rimal, Gaza City, The Gaza Strip, Telefax: 2820447-2
info@mezan.org-mezan@palnet.com
Fact Sheet:
Gaza Fishermen: Life with Poverty, Harassment and Suffering
Palestinian fishermen in Gaza continue to
be subject to unreasonable restrictions and
attacks by the Israeli occupation forces
(IOF) seriously curtailing their right to
work. Israeli imposed restrictions prohibit
Gaza fishermen from fishing more than
three nautical miles off the coast except at
the northern and southernmost borders. It
is common for IOFsoldiers to open fire on
fishermen, pursue them in the water while
they are fishing, and sabotage and
confiscate their equipment, including their
netsand boats.
Such acts constitute flagrant violations of
Israel’s legal obligations, as an occupying
power, under international law. They
violate the Fishermen’s rights to life,
work, safety and bodily integrity. They
also infringe upon the right not to be
tortured and prevent them from
maintaining an adequate standard of
living.
The Oslo Accords between the Palestine
Liberation Organization and Israel granted
Palestinian fishermen the right to fish
within a zone of 20 nautical miles in the
sea off the coast of Gaza. In 2002, the IOF
reduced the fishing zone to 12 nautical
miles and in October 2006 this was further
reduced to six nautical miles. In January
2009, following Israel’s illegal assault on
the Gaza Strip (Operation Cast Lead), the
fishing zone was cut again; this time to
three nautical miles.1 These restrictions
have only further exacerbated the
hardships imposed upon Gaza’s fishing
industry, comprised of over 4,000
fishermen and their families.2 It has
substantially increased the poverty and
unemployment rates among not only
fishermen but also individuals and groups
whose living is in some way connected to
the fishing industry.
By having to fish in such shallow waters,
Palestinian fishermen catch mainly small
fish and those most likely to have ingested
the contaminants pumped into the sea by
failing or inadequate sewage treatment
facilities. Worse still, Gazan fishermen
forced across the Egyptian-Gaza marine
boundaries for their fish are subjected to
the whims of Israeli naval personnel on
watch aboard Israeli navy ships that patrol
the entire length of the Gaza coast.
Israeli restrictions and attacks on
fishermen have shortened considerably the
fishing seasons already fraught with
problems stemming from a malfunctioning
economy. According to statements by
fishermen to the Mezan Centre for Human
Rights, IOF attacks and harassment
against them increase considerably during
fishingseason.
This fact sheet summarizes the situational
difficulties Gaza’s fisherman face:
Rami Sami Omar Baker, 23, is a
fisherman. His boat was attacked by the
IOF several times. During the last attack,
Rami’s cousin, Mohammed Mansour
Baker, 20, was killed. Rami testified to Al
Mezan Centre for Human Rights:
“At around 6am on Friday 24 September 2010, my brothers
Rani and Omar, my cousin Mohammed Mansour Baker and I
left our house and went to the harbor west of Gaza City. We
filled the hasaka (small fishing boat) with fuel. We checked
the cords and the hooks. We put food and water on the
hasaka and sailed. We headed beyond the harbor’s gate out
the sea. We sailed for about three kilometers to the west and
stopped; we’re always careful not to get close to the three
nautical-mile virtual line. I switched off the hasaka engine
and we took out our fishing hooks and started to fish.
“I saw an Israeli military boat patrolling the sea about 400
meters to the west of us. Thirty minutes after our arrival, my
brother Rani asked me to sail to the north as we were afraid
the Israeli boat would fire at us. I switched the hasaka engine
on and sailed to the north. We moved for about four
kilometers north, but were inside the permitted three-mile
zone. When we stopped, we took our fishing hooks out and
started to fish. I saw an Israeli military boat sailing from the
north to the south. It was about 500 meters from us. Five
minutes later, I heard gunfire and I saw bullets hitting the
water around us. I switched the hasaka on quickly and sailed
east towards the shore for about one kilometer. We stopped
there and switched off the hasaka.
“I then saw an Israeli military boat sailing from the northwest
side from where we were. It was moving to the south, directly
towards us. When it was about 600 meters from us, it started
shooting. While the Israeli boat was approaching I saw the
impact of bullets hitting the water around us. I switched the
hasaka on and tried to flee.
“We sailed south for about 100 meters with the Israeli boat
still firing upon us. At that moment the Israeli boat was just
200 meters opposite us. I saw the number plate area, with
the number 884 written in black at the front of the boat. I saw
about eight soldiers in dark green military uniforms standing
on the deck of the boat. The boat was silver with red rubber
at the bottom.
“The shooting continued as I sailed slowly. I heard my
cousin, Mohammed, saying ‘I’m injured’. I looked at him and
saw him pushing his hand against his abdomen. Blood was
coming out from under his hand.
“We rushed back to the shore and to the Kamal Adwan
Hospital. We carried Mohammed to the Emergency Room
and laid him on a bed. I asked a doctor about Mohammed’s
condition and he told me Mohammed had died just as when
we arrived at the hospital.
“I don’t know why the IOF opened fire at us. We were fishing
in an area that did not exceed the three nautical-miles zone.
We were inside the fishing zone when the IOF attacked us.”
When the IOF arrest fishermen, they are usually subject to ill
treatment; including beating and torture. When arresting fishermen,
IOF compel them jump into the sea and swim towards the military
boats, even in winter. Then the IOF order fishermen to take off their
clothes and blinds fold and cuffs them with plastic straps. IOF detain
fishermen in detention centers inside Israel. In many cases IOF
confiscated fishing boats of the arrested fishermen for several months.
1
See “Between the Fence and a Hard Place”
Report pages 10 and 11 by the Office of the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_o
pt_special_focus_2010_08_19_english.pdf
2
According to Nizar Ayyash, the chairman of the
Palestinian Fishermen’s Syndicate, the number of
fishermen who have license is 3700.
3
According to the Fishermen’s Syndicate.
4
Ibid, OCHA report, Note 1.
5
Ibid, Note 3.
6
See ICRC, ‘Gaza closure: not another year!’, at
http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/update
/palestine-update-140610.htm.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
Main office Al Mena, Omar El-Mukhtar Street, Western Rimal, Gaza City, The Gaza Strip, Telefax: 2820447-2
info@mezan.org-mezan@palnet.com
Fact Sheet:
Gaza Fishermen: Life with Poverty, Harassment and Suffering
Palestinian fishermen in Gaza continue to
be subject to unreasonable restrictions and
attacks by the Israeli occupation forces
(IOF) seriously curtailing their right to
work. Israeli imposed restrictions prohibit
Gaza fishermen from fishing more than
three nautical miles off the coast except at
the northern and southernmost borders. It
is common for IOFsoldiers to open fire on
fishermen, pursue them in the water while
they are fishing, and sabotage and
confiscate their equipment, including their
netsand boats.
Such acts constitute flagrant violations of
Israel’s legal obligations, as an occupying
power, under international law. They
violate the Fishermen’s rights to life,
work, safety and bodily integrity. They
also infringe upon the right not to be
tortured and prevent them from
maintaining an adequate standard of
living.
The Oslo Accords between the Palestine
Liberation Organization and Israel granted
Palestinian fishermen the right to fish
within a zone of 20 nautical miles in the
sea off the coast of Gaza. In 2002, the IOF
reduced the fishing zone to 12 nautical
miles and in October 2006 this was further
reduced to six nautical miles. In January
2009, following Israel’s illegal assault on
the Gaza Strip (Operation Cast Lead), the
fishing zone was cut again; this time to
three nautical miles.1 These restrictions
have only further exacerbated the
hardships imposed upon Gaza’s fishing
industry, comprised of over 4,000
fishermen and their families.2 It has
substantially increased the poverty and
unemployment rates among not only
fishermen but also individuals and groups
whose living is in some way connected to
the fishing industry.
By having to fish in such shallow waters,
Palestinian fishermen catch mainly small
fish and those most likely to have ingested
the contaminants pumped into the sea by
failing or inadequate sewage treatment
facilities. Worse still, Gazan fishermen
forced across the Egyptian-Gaza marine
boundaries for their fish are subjected to
the whims of Israeli naval personnel on
watch aboard Israeli navy ships that patrol
the entire length of the Gaza coast.
Israeli restrictions and attacks on
fishermen have shortened considerably the
fishing seasons already fraught with
problems stemming from a malfunctioning
economy. According to statements by
fishermen to the Mezan Centre for Human
Rights, IOF attacks and harassment
against them increase considerably during
fishingseason.
This fact sheet summarizes the situational
difficulties Gaza’s fisherman face:
- Number of fishermen in Gaza: 4,400, of
whom 3,700 are registered with the
Fishermen’s Syndicate.3 Fishing is the
source of living for approximately 65,000
people.4 - There are 700 fishing boats in Gaza of
which 500 are small-sized boats.5 - Poverty among fishermen in 2010 has been
the highest of all the population groups in
Gaza. It is estimated at 90%; up from 50%
in 2008.6 - Between 1 May 2009 and 30 November
2010, the IOF: - Carried out 53 attacks against fishermen.
- Killed two fishermen.
- Injured seven fishermen.
- Arrested 42 fishermen, including two
children. Most of them were subject to ill
treatment. - Confiscated 17 fishing boats and destroyed
one during the same period. - Despite having radios, Gazan Fishermen have not been warned by the IOF before they are attacked. IOF forces have disrupted the radio communications of Gaza’s fishermen hundreds of times, a clear violation of international maritime law.
Rami Sami Omar Baker, 23, is a
fisherman. His boat was attacked by the
IOF several times. During the last attack,
Rami’s cousin, Mohammed Mansour
Baker, 20, was killed. Rami testified to Al
Mezan Centre for Human Rights:
“At around 6am on Friday 24 September 2010, my brothers
Rani and Omar, my cousin Mohammed Mansour Baker and I
left our house and went to the harbor west of Gaza City. We
filled the hasaka (small fishing boat) with fuel. We checked
the cords and the hooks. We put food and water on the
hasaka and sailed. We headed beyond the harbor’s gate out
the sea. We sailed for about three kilometers to the west and
stopped; we’re always careful not to get close to the three
nautical-mile virtual line. I switched off the hasaka engine
and we took out our fishing hooks and started to fish.
“I saw an Israeli military boat patrolling the sea about 400
meters to the west of us. Thirty minutes after our arrival, my
brother Rani asked me to sail to the north as we were afraid
the Israeli boat would fire at us. I switched the hasaka engine
on and sailed to the north. We moved for about four
kilometers north, but were inside the permitted three-mile
zone. When we stopped, we took our fishing hooks out and
started to fish. I saw an Israeli military boat sailing from the
north to the south. It was about 500 meters from us. Five
minutes later, I heard gunfire and I saw bullets hitting the
water around us. I switched the hasaka on quickly and sailed
east towards the shore for about one kilometer. We stopped
there and switched off the hasaka.
“I then saw an Israeli military boat sailing from the northwest
side from where we were. It was moving to the south, directly
towards us. When it was about 600 meters from us, it started
shooting. While the Israeli boat was approaching I saw the
impact of bullets hitting the water around us. I switched the
hasaka on and tried to flee.
“We sailed south for about 100 meters with the Israeli boat
still firing upon us. At that moment the Israeli boat was just
200 meters opposite us. I saw the number plate area, with
the number 884 written in black at the front of the boat. I saw
about eight soldiers in dark green military uniforms standing
on the deck of the boat. The boat was silver with red rubber
at the bottom.
“The shooting continued as I sailed slowly. I heard my
cousin, Mohammed, saying ‘I’m injured’. I looked at him and
saw him pushing his hand against his abdomen. Blood was
coming out from under his hand.
“We rushed back to the shore and to the Kamal Adwan
Hospital. We carried Mohammed to the Emergency Room
and laid him on a bed. I asked a doctor about Mohammed’s
condition and he told me Mohammed had died just as when
we arrived at the hospital.
“I don’t know why the IOF opened fire at us. We were fishing
in an area that did not exceed the three nautical-miles zone.
We were inside the fishing zone when the IOF attacked us.”
When the IOF arrest fishermen, they are usually subject to ill
treatment; including beating and torture. When arresting fishermen,
IOF compel them jump into the sea and swim towards the military
boats, even in winter. Then the IOF order fishermen to take off their
clothes and blinds fold and cuffs them with plastic straps. IOF detain
fishermen in detention centers inside Israel. In many cases IOF
confiscated fishing boats of the arrested fishermen for several months.
1
See “Between the Fence and a Hard Place”
Report pages 10 and 11 by the Office of the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_o
pt_special_focus_2010_08_19_english.pdf
2
According to Nizar Ayyash, the chairman of the
Palestinian Fishermen’s Syndicate, the number of
fishermen who have license is 3700.
3
According to the Fishermen’s Syndicate.
4
Ibid, OCHA report, Note 1.
5
Ibid, Note 3.
6
See ICRC, ‘Gaza closure: not another year!’, at
http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/update
/palestine-update-140610.htm.
