Israel kills fisherman on Gaza coast

An Israeli naval force killed a fisherman on Sunday near the coast of Deir al Balah in the central Gaza Strip. The victim, identified as Mohamed Musa Abu Jayab, was on a small fishing boat when Israeli naval forces opened fire with live ammunition, according to Gaza hospital sources.

The incident occurred a day after the Israeli army killed nine people, including a child, in various attacks across the Palestinian enclave. Israel maintains a ban on the population entering the sea, threatening to open fire on those who do, despite many residents being displaced near the coast in precarious conditions.

While troops do not typically fire on swimmers, shootings targeting fishermen venturing further out to sea are common. Since a truce began nearly eight months ago, Israeli army attacks have claimed the lives of 951 people in Gaza, through targeted strikes, troop shootings, and continuous bombardment, according to Gaza Health Ministry data.

In recent weeks, Israel has intensified its airstrikes on areas of Gaza still under Hamas control. The Gaza Health Ministry reported on Saturday that 72,971 people have died since Israel began its bombardment of the enclave in October 2023, in retaliation for the Hamas-led attack on its territory that killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.