RAFAH — In the early morning hours, fisherman Muhammad Bardawil arranges his fishing nets and places them on his tiny boat to begin his daily journey off Gaza’s southernmost city, Rafah. He knows that this trip could be his last; he could be killed by Israeli shells.
But Bardawil does not think about this risk. He is focused on rowing out 500 meters — the distance Israel allows Gaza fishermen —to cast out his nets, and on his hopes of catching fish to feed his starving children — and to sell any extra. Bardawil said he catches about 5 kilograms (11lbs.) of sardines (a favorite among Gaza residents), some shrimp and tuna. He sells 4 kg and saves 1 kg (2.2 lbs.) for his family.
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Bardawil has survived shelling by the Israeli navy multiple times; yet the Palestinian fisherman with a pale face persists. Under the Oslo Accords signed in 1993, Palestinians are allowed to fish up to 20 nautical miles off Gaza.
Yet the Nizar Ayyash, the head of the Palestinian Fishermen’s Association, said Israel’s restrictions and attacks on Palestinian fisherfolk have existed for 17 years and have become part of the Israel-Hamas war. Israel’s navy has destroyed many fishing boats and prevented the repair of remaining boats, Ayyash said.
“Israeli naval boats killed more than 14 fishermen in the Mediterranean Sea off Rafah and Khan Younis. They were very close to the shore. The bodies of some of them remain at sea,” Bardawil said. “And despite all this, we continue fishing to feed our children and save money amid the crazy rise in prices in the markets.”
(The Oslo Accords dead between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Movement stated that Palestinians are allowed to sail freely 20 nautical miles deep in the Mediterranean off Gaza.)
Fishing under fire
Every day, fisherman Mahmoud al-Jourani travels some 800 metres into the Mediterranean off the coast of Khan Younis. The second largest urban area in the Gaza Strip, the city has been under heavy Israeli bombardment for more than three months. Al-Jourani, a father of five children insists on traveling alone even when the waves are high and winds are strong. He does not allow his sons, including 18-year-old Ahmed, to join him out of fear of being killed by the Israeli navy.
“The decision to enter the sea is a big risk in light of the violent war and the number of Israeli army gunboats in the waters. But I have no other choice. Life is difficult. There is no food to eat, and prices have become high,” he said.
“Every second, I imagine that an Israeli missile will hit me, as happened to four of my friends.”
Al-Jourani starts fishing at 8 a.m. and tries to finish his work as quickly as possible — in less than an hour. But he says that isn’t enough time to meet the needs of his family. On his best days, he returns with 7 kg of fish, especially sardines.
“The Israeli boat is watching me the whole time. Every second, I imagine that a missile will hit me, tear my body apart and throw me into the sea, as happened to four of my friends,” said Al-Jourani, whose home was flattened by Israeli bombs.
Fisherman Muhammad al-Hassi escaped death when the Israeli navy fired at his boat. Yet despite this experience and his fears, he is preparing his small boat, which operates without an engine, to feed his children.
Soaring prices
Fish prices have soared since the war began. At Al-Alam Square, west of Rafah, fishermen and fishmongers display the few fish they were able to catch during the morning hours. A kilogram of fish now costs 100 shekels (around ), up from 12 shekels (.30). If available, shrimp costs 150 shekels (around ) per kilogram, up from 50 shekels () before the war.
The skyrocketing prices have made fish unaffordable for many Palestinians, who are being pushed to the brink of famine by the months long Israel-Hamas war.
Raed Safi, a fishmonger in Rafah, stressed the challenges, such as Israeli restrictions and shelling, fishermen to bring fish to market. Yet the high prices make purchasing even a small quantity of fish impossible for the majority of the population, he said, noting that many displaced people only take pictures at the market.
The UN said in a recent report that “famine is imminent” in Gaza, where virtually everyone is struggling to get enough food, and that around 677,000 people — nearly a third of the population of 2.3 million — are experiencing the highest level of catastrophic hunger (extreme lack of food and critical levels of acute malnutrition).
The figure includes around 210,000 people in the north, where the UN expects outright famine will occur anytime between March and May. In famine conditions, 20% of households have an extreme lack of food, 30% of children suffer from acute malnutrition and at least two adults or four children per every 10,000 people die daily. The death rate is, therefore, expected to accelerate.
