The deputy minister of agriculture in the Gaza Strip says the living conditions of fishermen in the Palestinian territory will further deteriorate unless they receive the fuel required for their boats, Press TV reports.
Ibrahim al-Qedra told Press TV on Sunday the fuel crisis in Gaza has had a very negative effect on the fishermen all over the coastal enclave.
There are nearly 4,000 fishermen in Gaza whose income supports about 40,000 people. The fishing industry has been paralyzed due to the lack of fuel since the middle of March.
Qedra added that the living conditions of the fishermen will only deteriorate unless they get fuel supplies.
A fisherman in Gaza told Press TV that they have not been able to catch a single fish over the past week, because our boats require fuel to operate.
Egypt’s refusal to allow fuel supplies into the Gaza Strip has paralyzed the fishing industry in the Palestinian territory over the past weeks, our correspondent reports.
Lack of fuel is hurting us and our families I have not made any money in recent days. We own fishing boats and we cannot fish. I just hope that the situation will not stay that way for long, because a lot of people depend on us for their livelihoods, said another fisherman in the Israeli occupied territory.
Lack of fuel is not the only problem the people of Gaza have to deal with on a continuous basis. The Israeli regime persistently denies about 1.5 million people in the besieged Palestinian territory their basic rights, including the freedom of movement and the right to decent living, work, health and education.
2012 Press TV