Amid the destruction caused by more than 15 months of Israeli bombardment in Gaza City’s fishing port, fisherman Khaled Habib has resorted to using a makeshift paddleboard made from refrigerator doors to continue his livelihood. With most of the boats destroyed, Habib came up with the idea of using cork to make the doors buoyant and crafted a fishing cage out of wire due to the lack of nets. However, his resulting catch has been small.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that Gaza’s fishing sector has been brought to the brink of collapse, with the average daily catch dropping significantly and causing a $17.5 million production loss. Habib now mainly fishes within the small port area using dough as bait because fishing outside the port is not allowed due to the risk of being shot at by Israeli boats.
Despite a fragile ceasefire that came into effect on January 19, which largely halted the fighting, the situation for fishermen like Habib remains difficult. He continues to navigate the waters on his makeshift paddleboard, determined to provide for his family despite the challenges he faces due to the destruction of the boats and restrictions on fishing.
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