2 days ago
Israel Bans Palestinians in Gaza from Swimming and Fishing
The Israeli military issued formal orders on Monday, July 14, declaring Palestinian entry into Gaza's coastal waters strictly prohibited.
The ban covers swimming, fishing, and diving, and warns that any violations will be met with force by Israeli forces.
During Israel's genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, more than 6,000 people, the majority of them fishermen, have effectively lost their jobs and sources of food. The fishing sector, once producing around 3,500 tonnes a year, has dropped to zero.
Nearly all boats and equipment have been destroyed, and over 210 people from this sector have been killed since October 2023, including at least 60 fishermen.
Gaza's fishing port has been destroyed, and all maritime activity has been stopped because of the genocide.
Gaza's Government Media Office, led by director general Ismail Al‑Thawabta, condemned the ban as a violation of international law.
He described it as a deliberate starvation tactic targeting Gaza's livelihood, undermining the right to work and live with dignity, and amounting to collective punishment under the Fourth Geneva Convention and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
As the enclave endures shortages of food, clean water, fuel, and electricity under a broader blockade, the maritime ban marks yet another devastating blow. With no safe space left on land or at sea, more than two million Palestinians in Gaza are stripped of one of the few existing freedoms and sources of survival.
This article was previously published on kuwaitmoments. To see the original article, click here
