Gazan fisherman shot to death by Israel

A Palestinian fisherman has died in an Israeli hospital after being shot by Israeli forces earlier today, a local NGO reported.

According to the Al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights, Muhammad Majid Bakr, a 23-year-old resident from the Al-Shati refugee camp, was shot by Israeli naval forces at around 08:30 this morning while fishing off the coast of Gaza with his brother Umran Majid Bakr.

Umran told Al-Mezan that Bakr had been shot in the chest, and was still bleeding when Israeli naval ships surrounded their fishing boat and detained him.

A spokesperson for the Barzilai hospital, where Bakr was taken by Israeli forces for treatment, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Head of Fishermen Union Nizar Ayyash said:

He was wounded and then arrested by the Israeli navy… The Israeli navy stole the Bakr family’s fishing boats.

He also said that the Israeli occupation telephoned Bakr’s father, telling him about his son’s death after he had been shot in the chest.

Muhammad Majid Bakr

Bakr was married and had two children.

Earlier today, at least six Palestinian fishermen had been detained off the coast of Gaza since yesterday, including three from Al-Shati, although Bakr had not been identified as being among them.

Ayyash identified the fishermen as: Mohamed Abu-Warda, 27, his brothers Yousef, 22, and Hussein, 14, Mohamed Baker, 22, his cousins Abdullah, 20, and Mohamed Said, 27.

Al-Mezan has reported that since the beginning of the year, Israel has seized five fishing boats, detained 14 Palestinian fishermen, shot and injured four, and killed one other who drowned after Israeli forces sunk his boat.

According to Ma’an documentation, Bakr is one of at least 22 Palestinians to have been killed by Israeli forces since the beginning of 2017, three of whom were killed in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Family and friends mourn the loss of Muhammad Majid Bakr, a 23-year-old resident from the Al-Shati refugee camp, who was shot by Israeli naval forces at around 08:30 on 15 May 2017 while fishing off the coast of Gaza with his brother Umran Majid Bakr. [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Gazans hold a funeral for Muhammad Majid Bakr, a 23-year-old resident from the Al-Shati refugee camp, was shot by Israeli naval forces at around 08:30 on 15 May 2017 while fishing off the coast of Gaza with his brother Umran Majid Bakr. [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

The body of Muhammad Majid Bakr, a 23-year-old resident from the Al-Shati refugee camp, can be seen. He was shot by Israeli naval forces at around 08:30 on 15 May 2017 while fishing off the coast of Gaza with his brother Umran Majid Bakr. [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

The body of Muhammad Majid Bakr, a 23-year-old resident from the Al-Shati refugee camp, can be seen. He was shot by Israeli naval forces at around 08:30 on 15 May 2017 while fishing off the coast of Gaza with his brother Umran Majid Bakr. [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]