"We were always shackled [by Israel], Sehwail said quietly. But one period was less harsh than another. Even before October 2023, when Israel started its genocidal war on Gaza, the Palestinian enclave's fishermen operated under heavy restrictions imposed by Israel. Fishing zones were repeatedly reduced. Maritime boundaries outlined in agreements since the 1993 Oslo Accords were rarely implemented on the water."
"After every Israeli aggression, the consequences fell on us, Sehwail explained. We were supposed to [be allowed to] go further into the sea, but the occupation kept pushing us back. For a coastal territory, the sea should have been a source of wealth, stability, and fresh food. Instead, under Israel's blockade that controls Gaza's land, air, and sea since 2007, it has become another mechanism of control and persecution."
"On the blue, wavy surface off the Khan Younis seaport, two Palestinian fishermen paddled their small, battered boat nearly 200 metres into the sea. On the shore, Dawood Sehwail, a 72-year-old Palestinian fisherman, stood inspecting a torn net, his eyes fixed on the waves as if reading a language only he understands. Displaced from Rafah, further to the south, in May 2024 as a result of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, Sehwail now comes daily to the water's edge."
Palestinian fishermen in Gaza face severe restrictions on their fishing activities due to Israel's blockade controlling the territory's land, air, and sea since 2007. Fishing zones have been repeatedly reduced, and maritime boundaries outlined in agreements since the 1993 Oslo Accords are rarely implemented. Fishermen are permitted to travel only limited distances into the sea, with these restrictions constantly shifting and shrinking without warning. Dawood Sehwail, a 72-year-old fisherman displaced from Rafah during Israel's war on Gaza, describes how conditions have worsened over time. The sea, which should provide wealth and stability for this coastal territory, has instead become another mechanism of control and persecution under the blockade.
#gaza-fishing-industry #israeli-blockade #palestinian-fishermen #maritime-restrictions #economic-collapse
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