The IOF continues to impose a tight siege on the Gaza Strip while escalating its assaults against the Palestinian fishermen and violating their rights.
Such practices continue in spite of all Israeli’s claims to ceasefire, under which all forms of direct attacks will be stopped and the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip will be gradually lifted.
Monitoring work undertaken by Al Mezan Center for Human Rifts shows that the siege on Gaza continues along with the exacerbating humanitarian conditions, human rights status and living conditions of Gaza people.
Despite that nearly three months have passed since the announcement of a ceasefire, which took effect on 19 June, nothing tangible has occurred.
Gaza people did not notice any remarkable improvement in their life in terms of the provision of basic needs, drugs, medical supplies and fuel.
The Strip is suffering from a choking crisis because of the lack of fuel and cooking gas, contradicting the claims of the IOF that it partially lifted the siege and re-opened the Gaza crossings.
The Center’s resources show that the IOF’s violations against fishermen continued on a semi-daily basis in spite of the announced ceasefire.
The IOF fires on fishermen day and night with the aim to terrify and ban them from working and limit their activity to a narrow fishing zone.
It deliberately humiliates them by forcing them to take their clothes off and swim towards their boats as well as showering them with waste water.
The IOF invents methods to humiliate them.
Such violations continued since 9 October 2000 after the IOF announced it would tighten the closure and siege imposed on the Gaza Strip.
Since that time, fishermen were denied access to fishing zones that were allowed before, 21 nautical miles.
This number decreased to 12 nm and then reached 6 nm.
Monitoring work of the Center shows that the IOF does not allow fishermen to go beyond 3 nm on the days it allows them to go fishing.
It is noteworthy that the IOF arrested 4 fishermen and injured another by gunfire.
The IOF opens fire to terrify fishermen in order to deny their access to fishing zones over the past three months.
The most serious assault occurred at around 17:15 on Wednesday, 10 September 2008.
An Israeli gunboat attacked a big Palestinian fishing boat (20 meters in length and 8 meters in width), owned by Rajab Muhammad Abdelmenem al-Hissi.
The gunboat hit the rear side of the fishing boat in mid-sea nearly 6 nm opposite to Gaza seaport.
The fishing boat was severely damaged but no injuries were reported.
Field investigations show that 7 fishermen of one family, al-Hissi family, were boarding the targeted boat.
They were intimidated and stayed on board risking drowning until four Palestinian motorboats came to rescue them.
The motorboats towed the damaged fishing boat to Gaza port.
Al Mezan Center strongly condemns the harsh, humiliating practices by the IOF against the Palestinian fishermen.
Not only the IOF humiliates them and disrespects their human dignity, it also deprives them from their right to work.
Consequently, fishermen and their families are now below poverty line.
The Center considers such practices as serious violations of the IHL, especially the collective punishment of the Palestinian civilians through the tight siege that is imposed on the Gaza Strip.
Therefore, the Center calls the international community, especially the signatory parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilians in Time of War, to intervene immediately to halt the Israeli serious violations of the standards of human rights and the IHL when dealing with civilians in the OPT.
End