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UN PhotoGAZA / FISHERMEN
STORY: GAZA / FISHERMEN
TRT: 08:22
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ARABIC / NATS
DATELINE: 22 JUNE 2025, GAZA CITY, PALESTINE
1. Various shots, fishermen’s boats in the destroyed Gaza City port
2. Various shots, fishermen and their families at the devastated Gaza port, pulling in fishing nets
3. Various shots, several Palestinian fishing boats destroyed during the ongoing war in Gaza
4. Various shots, fishermen on a small boat hauling in nets inside Gaza’s port basin
5. Various shots, children sifting through the fishermen’s nets for any remaining fish
6. Various shots, of fisherman Mahmoud Al-Hassi inspecting his damaged fishing boat in the destroyed Gaza port
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mahmoud Al-Hassi, Fisherman:
“We urge the concerned authorities, donor countries, and all charitable organizations to intervene and deliver essential fishing equipment — such as fiberglass, wood, nets, lead, and ropes — so that we can help 6,200 Palestinian fishermen resume their work in Gaza. The current fish supply is extremely low, driving prices up. Only around 47 small boats operate now, producing 200 to 500 kilograms of fish daily — far below demand. In the past, a kilo of fish cost between 20 and 25 shekels. Today, it has surged to 300–400 shekels, which most people cannot afford under current conditions.”
8. Various shots, fishermen hauling in nets on their small boats in Gaza’s port
9. Various shots, fisherman Zaki Al-Najjar working aboard his boat in Gaza port
10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Zaki Al-Najjar, Fisherman:
“My brother was killed a month ago by fire from Israeli gunboats. Just a week ago, two more fishermen were killed and four others wounded. Every day we go to the sea, we face death. We bring back fish through blood and loss — but we have to feed our children. No matter the risks, we won’t give up the sea. This is our profession, and we will never abandon it.”
11. Various shots, fishermen and their families working in Gaza’s port, now filled with tents of displaced families
12. Various shots, children playing in Gaza port, with sunken boats visible in the background.
13. Various shots, sunken fishing boats in Gaza’s port after being shelled by Israeli naval forces.
14. Various shots, Zakaria Bakr, Coordinator of the Gaza Fishermen's Committees, standing with fishermen and fish vendors in the port
15. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Zakaria Bakr, Coordinator, Gaza Fishermen's Committees:
“Since the very first days of the war, Israeli naval and air forces systematically targeted fishing docks and boats, destroying 95% of Palestinian fishermen’s assets — large and small boats, storage units, ice factories, fish markets, and the main wholesale center. The fishing sector has been wiped out, depriving over 6,000 people of their livelihoods and impacting the food security of more than two million residents in Gaza.”
16. Various shots, fish vendors inside Gaza’s port
17. Various shots, crowded displacement tents within Gaza’s port area
18. Various shots, sunken fishing boats following Israeli shelling in Gaza’s port
19. Various shots, the port's destruction from a previous Israeli airstrike
20. Various shots, fishermen using primitive tools as they search for fish in their nets in Gaza’s port
21. Various shots, children trying to catch fish in Gaza’s port basin
22 Various shots, fishermen working aboard their boats in the Gaza harbour
Once bustling with hundreds of fishing boats returning from nightly trips at sea, only sunken hulls and shattered docks now remain at at Gaza’s Harbor. Gaza’s fishing industry — a lifeline for over 6,000 Palestinians — is now on the brink of collapse.
Between the wreckage, rows of tents shelter displaced families, driven from their homes by the war that has gripped the enclave for over 20 months.
A joint report by Al-Dameer Association for Human Rights and the Palestinian NGOs Network states that at least 202 people working in Gaza’s fishing industry have been killed since the war began, including 50 who died at sea. Over 300 others have been wounded, 20 of them during fishing missions offshore.
The report further indicates that more than 90 percent of Gaza’s fishing boats, as well as fishermen’s storage and equipment rooms, have been completely destroyed — leaving at least 4,500 fishermen and 1,500 workers in related trades without their only source of income.
Zakaria Bakr, Head of Gaza’s Fishermen’s Committees, said, "since the war began, Israeli forces have deliberately targeted docks and fishing vessels with gunboats and airstrikes, destroying 95 percent of fishermen’s property, including ice factories, fish markets, and the main trading hub at the port."
"Today, only one boat remains — it was bombed just days ago. This is a total collapse of the sector, depriving over 6,000 people of their jobs and directly impacting the food security of nearly two million Palestinians in Gaza," Bakr added.
Fisherman Zaki Al-Najjar, who lost his brother in an Israeli naval attack, described the dangers they face: "every day we go out to sea, we stare death in the face. We bring back fish stained with blood, just to feed our children. Despite everything, we will never give up the sea. This is our livelihood, and we will hold on to it at any cost."
Another fisherman, Mahmoud Al-Hassi, who lost three large boats, said the sector can no longer meet local demand. "Today, only 47 small boats operate inside the port, bringing in just 200 to 500 kilograms of fish daily — nowhere near enough. That’s driven prices sky-high. A kilo of fish used to cost 20–25 shekels; now it’s 300–400 shekels, far beyond what most people can afford," he said.
A prior report by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) noted that the fishing industry provided a primary source of income for around 6,000 individuals before the war, including 4,200 registered fishermen. The sector supported nearly 110,000 people in total.
Even before the recent escalation, Gaza’s fishermen were restricted to six nautical miles in the north and 15 miles in the south. Now, they fish just meters from shore — constantly exposed to danger.
FAO reported that the Gaza harbour north of Wadi Gaza suffered extensive damage, with most fishing boats destroyed — worsening an already severe food security crisis.
