Gaza, ALRAY - Israeli occupation Navy committed 172 violations against Palestinian fishermen during the first part of 2020, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights reported on Saturday.

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights issued on Saturday a report on Israeli occupation navy violations against Fishing sector in Gaza during the first semester of 2020.

The center explained that the violations are restricting the fishing zone, opening fires towards fishermen and their boats off Gaza shore, injuring and killing fishermen, chasing fishermen and arresting them.

It also includes seizing fishing boats and equipment on board, sabotaging fishing nets, generators and light signals.

The center explained that these violations have negative consequences on the number of fishers who works in this sector.

Show that the number of fishermen and workers involved in fishing-related crafts for the year 2019 in the Gaza Strip reached 5 thousand and 606 workers, including 3 thousand and 606 fishermen.

While the number of workers in the same sector in 1997 was 10 thousand workers, according to previous statistics of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.

The Center said: "Due to these ongoing violations, workers in general, and fishermen in particular, are among the poorest groups in Palestinian society in Gaza, which in turn affects the entire human rights of these workers and their families.

It pointed out that the marine sector in Gaza is considered one of the sources of the Palestinian economy, especially the fishing sector, as it provides job opportunities for fishermen and workers in the professions associated with it, and therefore it participates in supporting the gross national product, and also contributes to supporting the population’s food basket.