Naval Campaign by Israel: Gaza and Lebanon Subjected to Blockade
In the waters off the coast of Gaza, a simmering conflict has been unfolding for years. In 2023, Israel issued gas exploration licenses in waters overlapping Gaza's Exclusive Economic Zone, a move that violated the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. This action, met with silence from Western governments and the failure of international law to restrain Israel, has left both Palestinians and Lebanese civilians exposed to an unrelenting maritime siege.
The siege has taken a heavy toll on the fishing industry in Gaza, which has collapsed to a mere 7% of its pre-war capacity. Fishermen in the region have faced threats of lethal force, with Israeli leaflets warning them of the consequences. In June 2025, Israeli forces abducted fisherman Ali Fneish under nearly identical circumstances as previous incidents. Fneish's partner, Abdel Karim Ajami, was beaten and thrown overboard during the same attack.
Israeli drones drop explosives near vessels or photograph fishermen at close range, and fishing cooperatives have been bombed by Israeli forces. Human rights groups accuse Israel of resource theft under military occupation, as beneath Gaza's waters lies the Gaza Marine gas field, estimated to hold 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas worth $4 billion.
The attack on Fneish occurred in full view of Lebanese army personnel and UN peacekeepers, but no one intervened. The Lebanese state has offered no compensation, protection, or legal advocacy to survivors of these attacks. UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping force, confirms its maritime mandate does not extend to civilian protection.
The siege on Gaza has been a topic of political debate, with UK Labour leader Keir Starmer defending the siege in October 2023. However, the international community's inaction has raised concerns about the erosion of international law and the protection of civilian rights.
The use of force against fishermen in the region has been met with resistance. Humanitarian activists attempting to reach Gaza have faced Israeli violence in international waters. Surveillance cameras now monitor Naqoura's port, a testament to Israel's ongoing harassment campaign against fishermen in the region.
As the conflict continues, the international community must address the ongoing violations of international law and the protection of civilian rights in the region. The unrelenting maritime siege in Gaza's waters is a reminder of the urgent need for action to uphold the principles of international law and ensure the protection of civilians.
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