Israeli naval forces continue perpetrating grave and systematic violations against Palestinian fishermen sailing off the Gaza coast. Al Mezan periodically records Israel’s harassment of Gaza fishermen in Palestinian territorial waters, including the recurrent attacks, arbitrary arrests, seizure of fishing boats and equipment, and the use of live ammunition against them. These practices have rendered fishing off the Gaza coast a dangerous occupation with inherent risk to life and security. In the most recent incident, the Israeli navy arrested four fishermen and confiscated two fishing boats off the coast of Deir al-Balah, in the Middle Gaza District.

According to Al Mezan’s field investigation, at approximately 2:30 am on Tuesday, 13 September 2022, the Israeli navy opened fire and surrounded two fishing boats located seven nautical miles off the coast of Deir al-Balah. The boats were carrying four fishermen: Mahmoud Yehya Baker, 35, Rami Ezzat Baker, 44, Bayan Khamis Baker, 27, and Mohammed Nahed Baker, 29—all residents of Gaza City. They were arbitrarily arrested and their boats were confiscated by Israeli authorities.

Al Mezan’s documentation shows that since the beginning of 2022, the Israeli navy has carried out 340 attacks against Palestinian fishermen, injuring 16 (including three children), arbitrarily arresting 49 fishers (including seven children), and confiscating 18 fishing boats. It must also be noted that Israeli authorities still ban the entry of necessary fishing materials and equipment to the Strip as part of their settler-colonial closure against Gaza.

Al Mezan calls for the immediate release of the four fishermen and the return of the confiscated boats. Al Mezan strongly condemns Israel’s continuous unwarranted and illegal practices against Palestinian fishers, which are part of Israel’s unlawful closure policy that amounts to a prohibited collective punishment under international law and represents inhumane acts that constitute the crime of apartheid under the 1973 Apartheid Convention.

Al Mezan also reiterates its calls on the international community—including the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Geneva Conventions—to uphold their obligations vis-a-vis the protected Palestinian people and pressure Israel to end its closure on the Gaza Strip and stop its systematic violations against the civilian population, including fishers.