The government committee to break the siege and receive delegations in Gaza demands the international community and civil society organizations to stand up to their ethical and legal responsibilities to support Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip.

The committee calls on the international community to obligate the Israeli occupation with law enforcement, and stop violating the rights of Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip.

The committee notes that the Israeli occupation is violating the rights of Palestinian fishermen all the time, and attacking their boats and directly shooting at them under false pretexts.

The Israeli occupation forces opened fire this morning towards the boats of fishermen at sea off Rafah, Khan Yunis and the Gaza Strip. Yesterday, one of the fishermen was wounded in the northern Gaza Strip.

The committee confirms that the Israeli navy forces have killed a fisherman and arrested 6 fishermen since the beginning of this year, also arrested 137 fishermen during 2016, returned 133 of them and detained only 4, and arrested more than 120 fishermen in 2015.

While the Israeli occupation forces damaged 37 boats in 2016 and 35 boats in 2015, and the Israeli navy occasionally detained and interrogated Palestinian fishermen.

The Israeli navy has reduced the area of fishing allowed off the coast of the Gaza Strip from 9 miles to 6 miles, starting from last June, and is pursuing fishermen at a distance of 4 miles.