Grounded

The fishermen in Gaza are grounded yet again, due to Israel's relentless attacks against them.

The euphoria following the ceasefire, and the mistaken belief that fishermen would be allowed to fish more freely, have quickly waned.

Between the announcement of the ceasefire and last Sunday, a mere 11 days, Israeli naval forces arrested 29 fishermen and confiscated 9 fishing boats. Several boats have been damaged by naval fire.

We visited the fish market on Thursday and met a number of fishermen there who were happy with their catch that day. The fish were bigger and more plentiful beyond the 3 nautical mile limit, so the extension to 6 miles seemed to be making a real difference.

Sadly, most fishermen have taken the decision not to fish for the time being, because it is simply too dangerous.

So much for the ceasefire . . .