On 2 January 2024, we received the tragic news that artist Mohamed Al Zamer had been martyred by the Israeli bombing of Gaza. We remember Mohamed as a poetic, skilled, dedicated artist and unique person. He leaves behind his wife and four children. 

This seemingly innocent toy represents the smallest kind of Gaza fishing boat, Hasakah, used to fish near the beach. The fishermen stand on the boat while catching fish, but since the Israeli restrictions on fishing were imposed, the activity of fishing in Gaza has been seriously undermined. The length of the rope is in proportion to the hasakah, representing the maximum distance boats were allowed to go from the coast — 4 to 5 nautical miles, or 7 to 9 km. 

Since the genocide began in October 2023, access to the sea has been largely prohibited. Fishermen who still attempt to go out in small boats are forced to remain extremely close to the shore, and continue to face the risk of being fired upon, detained or having their boats confiscated. What was once a restricted fishing zone has become a severely curtailed and dangerous space in which even small-scale fishing can scarcely continue.