Surrounded by destruction and movement restrictions, Gaza’s coastal waters remain one of the few open horizons for residents. Free-diver Salem Abu Amira — nicknamed “The Beast” — and other fishermen have seen livelihoods devastated by the war, damage to boats and new naval restrictions. A 2020 World Bank estimate put about 18,000 people directly dependent on fishing (affecting 110,000+ relatives), and Palestinian authorities reported roughly 200 fishing workers killed as of Dec. 11, 2024. Reported catches have fallen dramatically, leaving fishing communities struggling to survive and to pass the trade to the next generation.
Last Horizon: Gaza’s Fishermen Cling to the Sea as War Chokes Livelihoods
Surrounded by destruction and movement restrictions, Gaza’s coastal waters remain one of the few open horizons for residents. Free-diver Salem Abu Amira — nicknamed “The Beast” — and other fishermen have seen livelihoods devastated by the war, damage to boats and new naval restrictions. A 2020 World Bank estimate put about 18,000 people directly dependent on fishing (affecting 110,000+ relatives), and Palestinian authorities reported roughly 200 fishing workers killed as of Dec. 11, 2024. Reported catches have fallen dramatically, leaving fishing communities struggling to survive and to pass the trade to the next generation.
10:08, 06.11.2025Conflict
Last Horizon for Gaza’s Fishermen
Surrounded by ruined buildings and strict movement restrictions, Gazans say the sea remains one of the few open horizons. For free-diver Salem Abu Amira — known locally as “The Beast” — the coastal waters are both a source of food and a rare sense of freedom.
“People here call me ‘The Beast’ because I managed to catch a fish that was more than a metre and a half [5 ft] long. It is rare — but the truth is I’ve caught many big fish,” Abu Amira tells Al Jazeera. Free-diving is a craft he learned from his father, a skill passed down through generations and a critical lifeline for his family.
“We can no longer reach the places we used to. Now we can only fish close to the shore — where there are no big fish,” Abu Amira says. “Restrictions have been imposed on us since the beginning of the war and continue to this day. But I have no source of livelihood. I can’t just sit at home waiting for someone to support me.”
Before the current conflict, Gaza’s fishing sector regularly sailed farther out where fish were more abundant. A World Bank estimate from 2020 put about 18,000 people in Gaza as directly dependent on fishing, with more than 110,000 family members affected by the industry. Annual landings once exceeded roughly 4,600 tonnes.
Since the conflict intensified, fishing infrastructure and boats have been heavily damaged or destroyed. In a report to the United Nations, the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture said that as of December 11, 2024, some 200 fishers and their associates had been killed out of an estimated 6,000 people involved in the trade.
Those who still try to cast nets close to shore report coming under fire. In January, Israeli authorities designated Gaza’s waters a “no-go zone,” effectively banning fishing, swimming and most civilian access to the sea. The result has been a dramatic fall in catches — reported to be about a 94 percent decline — cutting off a vital source of food and income for many families.
“Fishermen are the most exposed to danger,” said Zakaria Bakr, head of the Fishermen’s Committees in Gaza. “Often, the occupation forbids them from going to the sea, and free divers cannot get their diving gear — which affects their ability to work in the coming days.”
After months of displacement, Abu Amira returned home and prepares his small boat to head back out. He plans to teach his children the trade: for him, fishing is not only a way to earn income but also a tradition and a respite from stress.
After hours underwater on a recent outing, Abu Amira surfaced with a modest haul — several fish and an octopus — enough to feed his family and sell at market. For Gaza’s fishing communities, the struggle now centers on survival, preserving a centuries-old relationship with the sea, and sustaining a livelihood under severe restrictions.