90% of Gaza fishermen live below poverty line

Gazan fishermen are seen at coast as Israel announced to reverse latest punitive reduced fishing zone from 8 mile to 15 mile on Gaza coast after a ceasefire with Hamas, in Gaza on 3 September 2020. [Ali Jadallah – Anadolu Agency]

Israel’s closure of Gaza’s fishing area has increased the suffering of Palestinian fishermen, with up to 90 per cent of them live under the poverty line, Zakaria Bakr, head of the Fishermen Union Committees, told Al Aqsa Radio in Gaza yesterday.

On Monday, Israeli occupation authorities closed access to the sea to Gaza fishermen. Some 60,000 people have been affected by the arbitrary Israeli measure, according to Bakr, who reiterated that at least 90 per cent of the fishermen live under the poverty line.

He said the closure coincides with an important fishing season, and Israeli occupation authorities take similar measures at the start of each fishing season.

Israel, he continued, deliberately targets the fishing sector by limiting the fishing area, attacking fishermen and their boats while they are at sea, and preventing the import of fishing equipment.

READ: Israel attacked Palestinian fisherman on 320 occasions in 2020

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