GAZA (PIC)– Head of the general syndicate of Palestinian fishermen in Gaza Strip Nezar Ayyash has revealed that six Palestinian fishermen were killed and 40 others were wounded with Israeli gunboats’ fire since the IOF troops pulled out of the Strip late 2005.
According to Ayyash the presence of the Israeli naval vessels and gunboats off Gaza shores posed great danger to the fishermen and denied them their only source of income. Thousands of Palestinian fishermen in Gaza Strip rely on fishing to feed their families.
“Since Israel occupied the Strip in 1967 till the year 2005 only one Palestinian fisherman was gunned down with IOF bullets; yet after the pullout Israeli gunboats increased their patrols and indiscriminately fired at the fishermen” said Ayyash.
Humiliation of the fishermen was still persisting as IOF navy frequently arrest Palestinian fishermen and order them to take off their clothes and jump into the sea although the water is extremely cold Ayyash pointed out.
He also accused the IOF navy of deliberately destroying a number of Palestinian fishing boats and of confiscating tens of motors leaving the fishermen jobless.
Losses in the fishing sector according to Ayyash reached 16 millions dollars other than terrorizing and arresting a number of the fishermen.
In this regard Ayyash appealed to the international community and the Quartet committee to pressure the Israeli occupation government to stop all those practices and to allow the fishermen to seek their livelihood safely.
