GAZA, (PIC)
Israeli attacks on fishing boats off the coast of Gaza continue, amid repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement, worsening the hardship faced by thousands of fishermen who have lost their livelihoods.
Eyewitnesses confirmed that Israeli forces continue to open fire on small boats and along the coastline, preventing fishermen from going out to sea. They noted that around 4,000 fishermen have been affected by these ongoing attacks.
They added that hundreds of boats sunk by Israeli forces have been reduced to remnants, reflecting the scale of the heavy losses suffered by Gaza’s fishing sector.
Zakaria Bakr, head of the fishermen’s committees, said that violations against fishermen occur daily, including direct gunfire and the sinking of boats, leading to deaths and injuries. He stressed that these attacks have intensified during the war, although they had already been ongoing before it.
He added that Israeli forces are trying to prevent fishermen from accessing the sea through pursuit, shelling, and firing projectiles, leaving Palestinian fishermen with two choices: total restriction or risking their lives at sea.
Bakr pointed to a sharp decline in the fishing sector, explaining that before the war, there were about 1,000 motorized boats in operation, including 96 large vessels, along with more than 5,000 fishermen. Today, fishermen rely on primitive means such as small boats, foam boards, and even refrigerator doors as flotation devices.
He noted that the ban on using boat engines for more than two and a half years has led to a dramatic drop in fish production, from about 15–20 tons per day to only around 10 tons per month.
He also confirmed that infrastructure has been heavily targeted, with the port hit by approximately 26 missiles, in addition to the destruction of fishing warehouses and equipment.
In terms of human losses, he reported that more than 232 fishermen have been killed, over 100 injured, and more than 100 arrested, with over 30 still being held in Israeli prisons.
He added that fishermen are restricted to operating within an area not exceeding one kilometer at sea, while attacks continue.
On the international front, he said that fishermen’s committees are in contact with human rights organizations and international institutions that have expressed solidarity, though this has not translated into concrete action on the ground.
Despite the risks, fishermen continue to work in an effort to preserve their livelihoods, as their families face increasingly difficult humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip.