Israeli warships bombard Gaza fishing boat

Published yesterday (updated) 01/09/2009 12:36

Gaza – Ma'an – Israeli warships bombarded Palestinian boats off the Sudaniyya shore north of Gaza City on Monday morning, according to Nizar Ayyash, head of the Fishermen's Union. The official said the boat, which belonged to Umar Ibrahim Al-Habeil, was set ablaze by several shells fired from an Israeli naval unit operating in the area. Al-Habeil was reportedly injured in the attack. In a statement, Gaza's Agriculture Ministry said fishermen were unable to put out a fire that burned large sections of the boat. It called on Israel to stop targeting fishers, as the industry is their only source of income. Approached by Ma'an, an Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed that the boat was damaged by naval fire. However she said the navy also helped put out the blaze. She said no one was injured or arrested.The spokeswoman added that a number of vessels, including the damaged ship, violated a northern boundary patrolled by Israel's navy. She said the navy first fired warning shots into the air when the boat refused to turn back, but targeted the ship when it did not. The attack on Monday was not thought to be related to the ongoing siege of the coastal strip since the northern boundary, while entirely inside Gazan territorial waters, was determined by a joint agreement. But Israel's navy has regularly targeted Palestinian fishermen who venture off the coast ever since the military unilaterally declared waters more than three kilometers from the shore a no-fishing zone in January 2009. Last Thursday, medical officials said a fisherman was killed and another injured in a similar shelling attack off the Gaza coast. Israel's military denied that its navy had anything to do with that incident.

Gaza fishing boat bombed by Israeli navy

Monday August 31, 2009 17:01 by IMEMC & Agencies

The Israeli navy attacked Palestinian fishing boats off the shores of northern Gaza on Monday morning. One boat caught fire after it was bombed by several Israeli shells.
Israeli navy firing shells - Reprinted from Palestine Chronicle
The Israeli army confirmed the attack, as well as the damage to the fishing boat, saying the boat went beyond the northern boundary of the Strip. The Israeli navy regularly attacks Palestinian boats that are fishing off the Gaza shores.
In January 2009 Israel imposed tight regulations on the Palestinian fishing sector declaring waters more than 3 kilometers off the shore a no-fishing zone. Ever since Israel imposed its blockade on the Gaza Strip in June 2007, fishing has been one of the few remaining sources of income.

Gaza Fishermen under Israeli fire again
Monday, 31 August 2009 22:21 Added by PT Editor Ayman Quader

Gaza, August 31, 2009 (Pal Telegraph)-Medical officials reported today that Israeli naval forces shelled a fishing boat north of the Gaza strip, near Al Sudania district, this malicious attack completely destroyed a Palestinian boat and in the process injured its owner. The Palestinian Agriculture Ministry in Gaza, stated that fisherman Omar Al-Habil and his boat was less than one kilometre off the Sudania beach north of Gaza city when the Israeli navy ships targeted him.
Additionally the ministry stated that other Gaza fishing boats tried in vain to direct the fire away from the already stricken boat.
After being prevented from adequately equipping their boats due to the now 3 year old siege of Gaza, the fishermen are suffering from a some-what disturbing change of tactics by the Israeli regime and as a consequence they are now suffering the final indignity of being prevented from both gaining their livelihoods & feeding their families.

Medics say Israeli forces killed Gaza fisherman

Published Thursday 27/08/2009 (updated) 29/08/2009 08:37

Funeral for Al-Attar in Beit Lahiya [MaanImages]

Gaza – Ma'an – A Palestinian man was killed and another injured on Thursday when Israel's navy shelled a fishing boat just off the coast of the northern Gaza Strip, medical officials told Ma'an.

However an Israeli military spokesman denied the navy had anything to do with the incident. He said naval forces did not fire on the boat, nor otherwise cause the death of a man onboard.

But earlier Thursday Dr Mu'awiyah Hassanein, the director of emergency and ambulance services at Gaza's Health Ministry, said Israeli shells killed 25-year-old Muhammad Nady Al-Attar when his head was severed from his body.

One other fisherman was injured in the incident, which reportedly occurred while the two were fishing.

Al-Attar was buried later on Thursday after a funeral procession in his home town of Beit Lahiya.

posted on In Gaza on the 23rd of August

Thursday [13/8/2009]

Fishermen protest the on-going Israeli Occupation Forces naval attacks on fishermen. A crowd starts at the Fishing Syndicate near Gaza’s port and move on to the UN headquarters a few blocks away. The Israeli navy continues to shoot upon unarmed Palestinian fishermen; damage or destroy their boats, nets and equipment; moreover, they abduct fishermen. This abuse and the limits on fishing is destroying the fishing industry, one of the few sectors remaining in Gaza. While fishing yield is hardly profitable nowadays, many unemployed Palestinians have turned to it seeking the few shekels or fish they can bring in for their families.

*Israeli naval vessel dousing Palestinian fishing boat with high-powered, damaging water cannon. The Palestinian fishermen were fishing well-within the Oslo-allotted 20 nautical mile limit. [photo: David Schermerhorn, one of Free Gaza delegates Oct 31 2008]

PCHR report 13/8 - 19/8/2009: Israeli Navy opens fire at fishermen, one child at Rafah beach seriously wounded in the head. 2 fishermen arrested

This is an excerpt from PCHR weekly report No. 33/2009 13 - 19 August 2009 published on 20/8/2009

Friday, 14 August 2009

At approximately 18:00, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats opposite to Rafah beach. As a result, a Palestinian child, 12-year-old Mohammed Bassam 'Aashour, who was at the beach, was seriously wounded by a gunshot to the head.

Tuesday, 18 August 2009

At approximately 06:00, two Israeli gunboats approached to within 500 meters of Rafah beach and arrested two Palestinian fishers: Mohammed Mahmoud Hassouna, 45; and his son Shihab, 18. They also confiscated the fishing boat. The two fishers were released at approximately 19:00.

Israeli Gunboat Arrest Two Palestinian Fishermen near Rafah's Beach

18-8-2009

Al Mezan

At approximately 6:00pm on Sunday 18 August 2009, Israeli gunboat opened heavy fire at Palestinian fishing boats at Rafah's coast. The Israeli marine forces arrested Mohammed Mahmoud Hasouna, 45, and his son Shihab, 18. Mohammed and his son were on their small fishing boat when the Israeli forces advanced in a rubber boat for approximately 500 meters from Rafah coast opposite the Swiss refugee village and arrested them. The reasons of arresting them is not quite clear, since their boat did not exceed the limited area previously assigned by the Israeli forces.

Gaza fishermen demonstrate at UN in protest of Israeli attacks on their livelihoods

13.08.09 - 20:41

Gaza / PNN – Fishermen in the Gaza Strip are the frequent targets of Israeli forces. Israeli naval ships sometimes open fire, or board boats, arrest the fishermen, even confiscate nets and the boats themselves.

Today in Gaza, Palestinian fishermen are demonstrating against the Israeli policies that are destroying their livelihood. The Palestinian fishing industry has lost millions in revenue since the siege began three years ago, that has led to a ban on exports of fish, imports of equipment, and an increase in attacks by the Israelis.

During the three-weeks of major Israeli attacks in late December and January the losses to the agriculture and fishing sector, for which statistics are combined, were 311,000 USD in those three weeks alone. The head of the Fishermen's Association, Nizar Ayash, reported as long ago as March of 2007 that losses incurred in the fishing sector due to Israeli practices amounted to 16 million dollars. There are approximately 3,000 Palestinians engaged in the fishing trade, which translates into 40,000 people living on that income.

Palestinian Legislative Council member and Chairman of the People’s Committee against the Blockade, Jamal Al Khudari, said today that Palestinian fishermen are maintaining their profession and their right to fish in the Sea of Gaza, despite the intense Israeli attacks. Under Article 11 of the Israeli-Palestinian Protocol, it is stipulated that Palestinian fishing boats have the right to go out 20 nautical miles from the coast in a specific region. The number has been reduced by the Israelis several times and is now down to three miles, yet still some fishermen on the shores face fire.

During a march on the United Nations headquarters in Gaza City, Al Khudari reiterated what a serious threat the fishermen and their families are under.

He said that by reducing the area allowed for Palestinian fishing in Gaza territorial waters from 15 to just three nautical miles, the occupying forces are contradicting signed agreements.

A call was issued to the international community to pressure the Israelis to abide international law and agreements, and to stop the harassment of the Palestinian fishing trade.

PCHR report 6/8-12/8/2009: 2 fishermen arrested later released

this is an excerpt from PCHR weekly report No. 32/2009 06 - 12 August 2009

Thursday, 06 August 2009

At approximately 06:00, two Israeli naval gunboats got as close as 600 meters away from Rafah beach in the southern Gaza Strip. Israeli naval troop arrested two fishers: Ziad 'Abdul Karim Miqdad, 38; and 'Abdullah 'Abdul Karim Miqdad, 23. They took the two fishers to Ashdod Harbor inside Israel and interrogated them. The two fishers were released at approximately 17:00.