"Known as The Beast', Gaza fisherman Salem Abu Amira risks his life to feed his family under Israel's punishing siege. Surrounded by three walls on a land of ruins, as Israeli bombs continue to rain down from the skies, for many in Gaza, the sea remains the only open horizon, a shimmering promise of elusive freedom. Its waters, and the fish within them, have long nourished Palestinians cut off from the world, partially easing the pain of Israel's bombardment, punishing siege and starvation policies."
"Free diving runs in Salem Abu Amira's blood. He learned the craft from his father at a young age a skill passed down through generations and a lifeline for his family. Before Israel's war, Gaza's fishermen sailed far out to sea, where the waters teemed with fish. In 2020, the World Bank estimated that about 18,000 people in Gaza directly depended on fishing for their livelihoods, with an extended effect on more than 110,000 family members."
"We can no longer reach the places we used to. Now we can only fish close to the shore where there are no big fish, Abu Amira says. Restrictions have been imposed on us since the beginning of the war and continue to this day. But I have no source of livelihood. I can't just sit at home waiting for someone to support me, he adds."
Salem Abu Amira, nicknamed The Beast, freedives off Gaza's coast to catch fish and feed his family despite life-threatening conditions. Generations have passed down diving skills that became a crucial livelihood after wider economic collapse. Gaza's fishing zone has been drastically reduced by wartime restrictions and bombardment, forcing fishermen to operate close to shore where yields are much smaller. Before the war, thousands relied on fishing, producing over 4,600 tonnes annually and supporting tens of thousands of family members. Current constraints, arrests, injuries and deaths have decimated the industry, leaving many without a reliable source of income or food.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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