Akashma Online News

Article By Omar Karem Gaza
Posted and Edited by Marivel Guzman

Back in 2010 Victtorio Arrigoni the Italian Activist that all Gaza loved was witness and victim of Israel assault, he went with the Gaza Local Fishermen as a human shield to protect them and monitor Israel activities. According to who knows who’s law, Israel got himself name the patron of Gaza territorial waters and has imposed a maritime siege of less than 3 miles. Not enough waters to contain any big size fish to fill the fisherman nets.

Gaza is a port in the Mediterranean sea, warm waters known for their rich maritime life. Gaza waters should not be the exception was not for Israel blockade. A combination of damage to fishing resources caused by the Israeli offensive, and a restriction on the zone in which Gazans are allowed to fish is reducing catches and adversely affecting people’s diets in Gaza, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

http://www.cpsgaza.org/2011/07/cps-gaza-crew-attacked-by-israeli.html

http://www.cpsgaza.org/2011/07/cps-gaza-responds-to-israeli-naval.html

The Israeli navy attacked Civil Peace Service Gaza volunteers along with international press and Palestinian fishermen today. One of the Israeli ships targeted the boats with high pressure water cannons.

Meanwhile, a small naval boat approached the Oliva and hit it from behind, stopping the boat and causing serious damage to the engine. The crew aboard the Oliva was evacuated to other boats and all the boats at sea were forced to turn back.

Joe Catron, an American human rights worker aboard the Oliva, stated, “Israel has been regularly attacking Palestinian fishermen within the purported 3 nautical mile fishing limit. The livelihood of many Gazans relies on fishing and Israel has been using live ammunition and water cannons to prevent fishermen from doing their work. We will continue to go out with the Palestinians and document human rights violations, despite the powerful threats we and Gazan fishermen face.”

This is the fourth attack on Oliva in less than two week. To watch and read recent reports in the news media about CPS Gaza, visit Al Jazeera and The Guardian.

Journalists and TV Crews are invited to join the CPSGaza boat. The Oliva will be sailing again on Thursday at 8:30am and Friday at 7:30 am. Contact Nathan Stuckey, a US human rights worker with CPS Gaza, for more details 059-765-0864.

Civil Peace Service Gaza is an international, third party, non-violent initiative to monitor potential human rights violations in Gazan territorial waters.
Posted by Civil Peace Service Gaza at 22:53
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Labels: Reports
In tweets: an encounter between Gaza fishermen and Israeli patrol boats
Harriet Sherwood | The Guardian

Harriet Sherwood went out with Gaza fishing boats to check claims they were coming under attack from the Israeli military

She used Twitter to report what happened next:

“On boat heading out from Gaza port. Fishermen regularly fired on by Israeli military. Going to check” July 20, 2011 at 0:08

“Getting close to 3 mile limit for fishing. Israeli gunboat speeding towards us”
July 20, 2011 at 0:18

“There are 7 boats in our group. 4 fishing boats, 2 press boats, 1 human rights group boat” July 20, 2011 at 0:20

“Israeli gunboat circling around. Siren sounding. Machine gun mounted at rear” July 20, 2011 at 0:21

“IDF coming very close. Sirens. Banking hard causing a lot of backwash for our small motor” July 20, 2011 at 0:25

“6 or 7 troops on bridge, all armed. We have cut our engines” July 20, 2011 at 0:28

“We are 2 or 2 and a half miles from shore so within fishing zone. IDF preventing us going further” July 20, 2011 at 0:32

“Phone signal going in and out. A 2nd IDF boat heading towards us” July 20, 2011 at 0:33

“Fishing boats are throwing lines. But very few fish this close to shore.” July 20, 2011 at 0:35

“Now 2 gunboats stopping us going further” July 20, 2011 at 0:37

“This is our GPS location: N31.5727176 and E034.37703. Can someone work out exactly how far we are from Gaza City?” July 20, 2011 at 0:39

“Fishermen saying there are no fish. They want to go out another 50 metres. But that could provoke reaction. No boat willing to go first” July 20, 2011 at 0:43

“One fishing boat heading further out. But the guys are asking us (Guardian) to go in front for protection” July 20, 2011 at 0:47

“One IDF boat just circling our boats about 50m away. Other boat a bit further away” July 20, 2011 at 0:50

“A lot of resources devoted to a few tiny fishing boats” July 20, 2011 at 0:53

“Sea is calm today – except our little bit. Backwash creating lot of waves. They keep sounding siren. But we have all cut engines” July 20, 2011 at 0:59

“I’m told that the point of the IDF continually circling us is to create continuous waves and noise. Makes fishing harder” July 20, 2011 at 1:08

“One fishing boat just been swamped by backwash. They are giving up and going back to port” July 20, 2011 at 1:09

“One IDF boat appears to be heading away. The other coming closer” July 20, 2011 at 1:11

“Water canon military boat in distance. Maybe heading towards us. Hope not” July 20, 2011 at 1:14

“Both gunboats have moved off as water canon boat approaches” July 20, 2011 at 1:14

“Water canon boat maybe 200m away. Heading straight towards us. May have to put comms away forbit” July 20, 2011 at 1:19

“Was mini hi-speed boat chase as we cut and run and the IDF chase” July 20, 2011 at 1:23

“IDF still firing on Oliva the human rights boat. They are trying to drown it says my translator” July 20, 2011 at 1:24

CPSGAZA: CIVIL PEACE SERVICE GAZA