Gaza residents rally in support of planned global port workers’ strike
‘Palestinian fishermen have been prevented from accessing the sea for more than three years,’ says head of General Union of Fishing and Marine Production Workers
GAZA CITY, Palestine (MNTV) – Palestinians gathered at the fishermen’s port west of Gaza City on Thursday in solidarity with a planned global strike by port workers and against the use of supply chains to support Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip.
The gathering came ahead of labor actions scheduled for Friday involving more than 25 unions representing workers at 113 ports across 22 countries and territories, according to estimates by the strike organizers.
The planned actions include work stoppages and demonstrations of varying durations calling for an end to the transportation of weapons and military equipment through civilian ports to conflict zones.
Participants in the Gaza rally carried messages of solidarity with port workers and seafarers in recognition of their actions against the use of civilian facilities to support Israeli military operations.
Zakaria Bakr, president of the General Union of Fishing and Marine Production Workers, said the gathering aimed to convey the message of Palestinian fishermen to port workers around the world and thank them for their solidarity.
“Palestinian fishermen have been prevented from accessing the sea for more than three years, during which they have faced killings, injuries, arrests and destruction of their property,” Bakr told Anadolu.
He called for fishermen to regain their rights and be allowed to return to work while urging port workers and seafarers around the world to continue their solidarity actions.
Nour Saad, spokesperson for the Sumud activities, said the rally opposed the use of ports and supply chains to support Israeli military operations against Palestinians.
“The global labor actions seek to prevent public resources and funds from being used to support war economies and armament,” Saad said.
“Participants are calling instead for those resources to be directed toward meeting people’s needs,” she added.
The rally comes as Israeli restrictions continue to prevent Palestinian fishermen from working amid the severe humanitarian crisis caused by Israel’s war on Gaza.
Since October 2023, Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip, with US support, has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians and injured over 175,000, most of them women and children, while around 90% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been destroyed.
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