Israeli Naval Blockade Continues as Two Fishermen Detained Off Gaza Coast

Gaza, MINA – Israeli occupation forces have escalated attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip, detaining two fishermen on Thursday morning while they were aboard a fishing boat off Gaza City’s port, the Palestinian Information Center reports.

In a statement, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights said the IOF troops have continued to prevent fishermen from going to sea to earn their livelihoods for the third consecutive year, describing the measures as an extension of violations committed during the Israeli genocide in Gaza.

According to the statement, Israeli warships attacked a small paddle-powered fishing boat carrying four fishermen, opening fire before stopping it. The IOF then forced two of the fishermen to remove their clothes and enter the sea before detaining them.

The two fishermen were identified as Yousef Zaher Abu Riyala, 22, and Mohammad Saeed Al-Zahhar, 32, both residents of Al-Shati refugee camp. They were taken to an unknown location.

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Al Mezan said Israeli forces have maintained a comprehensive naval blockade on Gaza since October 2023, preventing fishermen from venturing into open waters and forcing them to operate within a narrow area of approximately one kilometer from the shoreline.

During the Israeli genocide, Israeli forces destroyed approximately 95% of Gaza’s fishing sector, including Gaza City’s port, fishing boats, facilities, equipment and infrastructure. Zakaria Bakr, head of the General Union of Workers in Fishing and Marine Production, said Israeli forces have killed 233 Palestinian fishermen, wounded 140 others, and detained 130 during the genocide.

Al Mezan strongly condemned Israeli violations against Gaza’s fishermen, stressing that preventing fishermen from accessing the sea constitutes collective punishment prohibited under international law, and called on the international community to fulfill its legal and moral responsibilities toward Palestinians.[]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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