Fact
This week, when the Israeli navy attacked a Palestinian fishing boat off the coast of the Gaza Strip, the soldiers abducted four of the fishermen on board. The boat was within the permitted fishing zone.
The Israeli navy regularly shoots at and arrests Palestinian fishermen off the Gaza coast and destroys and confiscates their vessels.
In 2019, 85% of fishermen suffered these violations. Israel opened fire 347 times and arrested and detained 35 fishermen, including three children. Nine of those arrested remain in Israeli prison. Israel wounded 21 people, confiscated 15 boats, destroyed 12 boats, and damaged 11 boats.
The Israeli authorities do not compensate fishermen for damages that occur during their seizure or while the boat is being held in Israel. Owners must forfeit their rights to compensation and release the Israeli military from responsibility for the damages.
Since 2000, the number of registered fishermen in Gaza has dropped from 10,000 to 2,000 actively fishing. The once prosperous fishing community (including 2,000 people working as vendors, equipment traders, and in boat maintenance) is now one of the poorest in Gaza. 95% of Gaza fishermen (and their 50,000 dependents) live below the poverty line—on less than $4.60 a day for food, housing, clothing, health care, and education.
