Edited on 29 February 2016 after obtaining the victim’s affidavit.

Within the context of siege and closure of the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces continue to attack Palestinian fishermen in the six nautical mile Israeli-imposed fishing zone. According to Al Mezan’s monitoring and documentation in 2016, Israeli forces arrested 10 fishermen and confiscated four fishing boats and numerous pieces of equipment. Israeli restrictions on fishermen continue to mount, including by blocking the entry of new engines and the fiberglass used to make boats.

At approximately 7:00 am on Wednesday, 3 February 2016, Israeli gunboats opened fire at two Palestinian fishing boats, in separate incidents, that were off the coast of Wadi Gaza. The first incident included the fishermen Sayid Marwan Al Sa’eedi, 31, and Jihad Sayid Kaskeen, 20, who were surrounded by Israeli gunboats, ordered to take off their clothes, and to swim to the gunboat, while being verbally abused by the soldiers. The two fishermen were arrested and taken to an undisclosed location. In another incident, the Israeli forces attacked a Palestinian fishing boat carrying Mahmoud Sa’eed Fathi Al Sa’eedi, 23, and his brother Mohammed, 25. As a result of the attack, Mahmoud was severely injured and the Israeli forces transported him to Israel to receive treatment. His brother, Mohammed, was arrested and their fishing boat and equipment were confiscated.

The three arrested fishermen were released in the evening of 3 February 2016 while Mahmoud Al Sa’eedi remained in Barzilai Medical Center for treatment. On 18 February 2016, he returned to Gaza. Al Mezan’s lawyer met with Mahmoud Al Sa’eedi. The following is an excerpt from his Affidavit to Al Mezan:

“… at approximately 4:00am on 3 February 2016, I headed to the port accompanied by my brother Mohammed. We stayed there for a while and at 5:00am we boarded the boat and sailed towards the location of the nets which we had cast the previous day (we were using a torch to light our way). When we reached the location of the nets, we turned off the engine and stayed there waiting for the morning light.

At 7:00am we started to draw the fishing net, and then I saw an Israeli military gunboat and a military inflatable boat heading quickly towards us from the east – the two military boats were inside the imposed 6 nautical mile fishing zone. At that moment, I started the engine and sailed east towards the imposed fishing zone leaving the fishing net behind. I heard gunshots and the voice of an Israeli soldier over an amplifier asking us to stop. We kept going until we reached a distance of approximately 5.5 nautical miles off the coast. There we came head to head with the military boats, a few meters away from our fishing boat. We tried to maneuver and escape in fear of getting arrested and having our boat confiscated.

I then heard gunshots and I felt pain in my right leg, my back, and my head. Then the small military boat approached us and faced the front of our boat. I was standing in the front of the boat and my brother was at the back. I started begging the soldiers to leave us alone. Suddenly, I saw the military inflatable boat approaching quickly towards us and ended up on top of our boat. I fell down and I felt excruciating pain in my neck and mouth, and was bleeding heavily. I remained lying down on my back and the inflatable boat was on top of me. After about one minute, the military boat retreated. And then I saw my brother, Mohamed, turn on the engine and sail again.

The military boat resumed the chase, and shortly afterwards I heard heavy fire and our boat stopped. The military boat approached us again, and I was still lying on my back when two soldiers suddenly boarded our boat, put me on a stretcher, and carried me to a small plane which had landed next to the boat. They injected me with a syringe…and then I lost consciousness.

I woke up and found myself in a hospital unable to speak; my neck and mouth were covered with white gauze. I learned that I had been there for 7 days and my mom was at my bedside. After that, I underwent 4 surgeries.

On 18 February 2016, I went back home to Gaza. Now, I’m at Al-Shifa Hospital, where I found out that some of my vocal cords have been torn, and that I have a fracture in my left jaw, which makes it hard for me to speak. I was hit with three bullets, one in my right leg, another one in my back, and a third one in my head. The doctors advised that I don’t eat any solid foods; instead I’m only allowed to drink fluids and have intravenous therapy.”

Israeli forces continually attack and harass Palestinian fishermen, often chasing them even within the restricted fishing zone, which hinders their ability to work in what used to be one of the most viable economic sectors in Gaza’s economy. Al Mezan asserts that Palestinian fishermen have the basic right to practice their work. With Palestinian fishermen now largely denied access to Gaza’s catch, the fishing community has become one of Gaza’s most vulnerable populations, with immediate economic gains for Israel. By denying Palestinians access to their natural resources, the Israeli markets are able to grow their stock. Israel also sells fish to Gaza which is not sellable in Israel. The practices blatantly violate the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the Hague Regulations, as well as international human rights law, which places the obligations on Israel to respect and protect the occupied territory’s natural resources, and not to utilize any of the resources as a political tool.

Al Mezan strongly condemns Israel’s continuing violations of the rights of Palestinian fishermen and denounces the silence of the international community and its disregard for its legal obligations under international law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention, to the civilian population of the occupied Palestinian territory. Al Mezan asserts that the silence of the international community has encouraged Israel to escalate the perpetration of practices that amount to serious violations of international law. Israel’s shirking of international legal principles and responsibilities, including within the United Nations forums at the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council, prevented the UN Special Rapporteur Wibisono to carry out his positive duties to maintain such principles and forced his resignation. The international community must exert pressure on Israel to ensure respect for international law and abolish the closure/blockade regime imposed on Gaza without further delay.