Study: ‘Israel’ arrested 37 Gaza fishermen in 2019

Gaza (QNN)- Israeli authorities deliberately targeted fishermen in Gaza within a systematic policy in 2019, resulting in 37 arrests against fishermen, who were searching for a livelihood in the sea of Gaza.

Palestine Prisoners Center for Studies revealed in a statement on Tuesday that 2019 saw fewer arrests among fishermen in comparison with 2018, when 77 fishermen were arrested. Meanwhile, 2016 was the worst with 125 fishermen arrested from the strip.

The center confirmed that the occupation state deliberately inflicted material losses, burning fishing boats and equipment and intensively opening fire at fishermen, wounding three fishermen before arresting them. May saw the highest number of arrests in 2019.

The center also revealed that the Israelis try to use those, whom it arrests, to get security information about Gaza. In several cases, the Israelis blackmailed Palestinian fishermen to force them to work as spies in exchange for being released and allowed to work.

Targeting fishermen goes against international laws, according to the center, which also called on the international community to protect Palestinian fishermen from the Israeli piracy and arbitrary practices that may amount to war crimes.

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