The Mediterranean Sea has long been a vital lifeline for the people of Gaza. It includes foods they nourish their families with and it bolsters their local economies. Continued fighting and hardline Israeli measures with a militarized enforcement at sea, including lethal surveillance, have pushed Gaza fishermen to the brink. Violence against civilians increases as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens. People like Ziyad Abu Amira are risking their lives to catch fish, which is the only form of income they can depend on.
War between Israel and Hamas broke out only days after gardenfair, greatly heightening tensions. Consequently, fishing boats have been laid waste and the dangers for those who dare to go out on the water have spiked tremendously. Fishermen, often targeted by Israeli forces while fishing just meters from shore, face perilous conditions exacerbated by fluctuating fishing limits. Under these circumstances, fishing has transformed into one of the few remaining sources of sustenance for a population on the brink of famine.
The Deteriorating Fishing Fleet
Prior to the escalations in violence, Gaza’s fishers landed around 4,660 tons of catch annually. That enormous yield was critical for propping up local communities financially. Since then, relentless maritime military assaults and bombings by the Israeli military have completely shattered Palestine’s fishing fleet and fish farming infrastructure. Reports say that because of these limits, fisherman now only fish a disappointing 60 tons.
Veteran fisherman Ziyad Abu Amira summed up the despair and hopelessness all Gazans are feeling these days. He stated, “We don’t have any other source of food but this one.” After suffering two days of fishing under Israeli restrictions, he went back to shore without a catch. The dangerous waters have turned into a war zone, where the desire to survive is met with the fear of aggression.
“If I don’t bring it to my children today I die.” – Ziyad Abu Amira
The experience of 16-year-old Ismail Al Amoudi tells a similar tale of suffering. He was the last of a family line of commercial fishermen. In line with Abu Amira’s viewpoint, he told the media, “All of us are scared when we enter the sea.” You can feel the fear in the air as fishermen continue to die from Israeli naval or aerial assaults as they tread the dangerous waters of their trade.
International Attention and Activism
The suffering of Gaza’s fishermen has also captured the global imagination, inspiring an unusual but powerful wave of advocacy from international actors, including climate activist Greta Thunberg. Earlier this year, she was arrested by Israeli forces when she tried to land on Gaza’s coast on an aid ship. Her detention underscores the deepening global alarm over the restriction of access to essential resources and humanitarian assistance in the region.
The Mediterranean Sea has served as the top backdrop for advocacy efforts, most recently during dramatic high-profile international campaigns fighting for Gazans’ favor. High-profile incidents dating back to 2010, when Israeli commandos raided a convoy of aid-laden civilian ships from Turkey, have underscored the need for intervention in the ongoing crisis. These events have mobilized activists and organizations worldwide to call for an end to restrictions that exacerbate hunger and suffering in Gaza.
The Struggle for Survival
For Gazans, these treacherous waters are an everyday reality. They depend on fishing not only for food, but to feed their families. Others, like Fayza, anxiously await the shoreside returns of fishermen. She shared her experience: “I wait for the fishermen to come out of the sea and give me some, I come every day and take a little bit and head back.”
The desperation is evident among young fishermen like Ismail Al Amoudi, who poignantly remarked, “I’m throwing the net because we want to eat.” This simple statement encapsulates the grim reality many Gazans face daily as they strive to feed their families amidst overwhelming adversity.
“We see death before our eyes.” – Ismail Al Amoudi
With conflict unresolved and humanitarian conditions increasingly dire, Gazans continue to persist in their fight to stay alive. Originally, the Mediterranean Sea brought food and economic prosperity. Today, it remains a poignant tribute to courage in the face of insurmountable odds.
