Gaza (Palestine Foundation Information Center), Israeli occupation forces have continued to target Gaza’s fishing sector, representing another systematic assault on Palestinians’ sources of livelihood. The sea has been turned into an area of pursuit and gunfire, while hundreds of fishing boats and related facilities have been destroyed, severely undermining a vital sector on which thousands of families in the Gaza Strip depend.
The Human Rights Protection Center, in its latest rights report titled “Boats Under Fire,” documented alarming figures concerning violations against fishermen and the maritime sector in Gaza between October 7, 2023 and October 2026.
The center stressed that throughout this period, the fishing sector was subjected to systematic and direct targeting through killings, injuries and arrests, as well as widespread destruction of boats, facilities and maritime infrastructure, at a time when thousands of Palestinian families rely on fishing as a primary source of income.
235 Fishermen Killed
According to the report, the center documented the killing of 235 Palestinian fishermen and the injury of 143 others, including 16 who sustained serious injuries. It also recorded 130 cases of fishermen being arrested while attempting to carry out their professional duties.
The report documented the destruction and damage of 1,810 fishing boats, including small motorized boats, rowing boats and larger marine vessels. The destruction has severely affected fishermen’s ability to access the sea and continue their work.
The destruction was not limited to boats. The center confirmed that 270 of the 310 fishing stations located along Gaza’s coastline had been destroyed. In addition, a water desalination plant, an ice factory and a kitchen dedicated to serving fishermen were also destroyed.
The Sea Reduced to “Zero Nautical Miles”
The Protection Center said Israeli forces reduced the permitted fishing zone to “zero nautical miles” throughout the war, while continuing direct and daily gunfire along Gaza’s entire coastline to prevent fishermen from reaching the sea and pursuing their profession.
The measures have taken place amid the ongoing maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has affected fishermen, their boats, equipment and livelihoods, turning fishing into a dangerous occupation for those who depend on it.
The report noted that direct targeting of fishermen has forced them and their families to flee their residential areas while also eliminating their sources of income. This has further worsened Gaza’s already severe economic and humanitarian conditions and deepened the food security crisis.
The center stressed that the destruction of Gaza’s fishing sector does not merely target individuals and boats but strikes an entire economic and social system upon which thousands of Palestinian families depend, particularly amid the continuing blockade and restricted access to basic resources.
Call for Accountability
At the conclusion of its report, the Human Rights Protection Center called on the international community to intervene urgently to ensure the protection of fishermen and civilians and safeguard their right to work and earn a livelihood with dignity.
The center also called for the opening of humanitarian crossings to facilitate the travel of wounded and sick people abroad for medical treatment, the entry of food aid, medicines and essential supplies into the Gaza Strip, and practical measures to ensure that those responsible for the violations are brought to justice before international judicial mechanisms in accordance with international law.
