Horizontal and vertical forces in a fluid 
In the container,there is water in static state. When we try to determine the pressure at a depth,the standard method is to imagine a cylinder of water and balance forces. But since i am new to fluid mechanics,i have some questions on what we are actually doing.
In the picture,the yellow vectors represent the forces. I get the there is a force in the $-y$ direction as the weight of the body acts in that direction. But what i do not get is why are the horizontal forces being applied towards the cylinder. It is like repulsive force since if we draw the Free Body Diagram of an electron proton system,we would draw the repulsive force on the electron by a vector towards it.  Now through the intermolecular theory which explains surface tension,we know that all water molecules attract each other in a definite distance. So the vectors drawn should be away from the point. That is why the horizontal forces shown should be away from the cylinder or else it is meaning the other water molecues are compressing the cylinder by repelling it whereas we know only attractive forces exist within water molecules.
Similarly the case for the downward force which is acting in $+y$ direction,it is meaning the downward water molecules are repelling the water molecules of the base of the cylinder. So the force should actually act downward to represent attractive force on the cylinder.
What is the correct way to interpret the forces then? Are they like the usual Normal Reaction forces we learn in Newtonian Mechanics which push two surfaces away from each other? In this case the other part of the water body are in contact with the cylinder,so the horizontal and the vertical force we are seeing are actually Normal Reactions?
 A: 
the horizontal forces shown should be away from the cylinder or else it is meaning the other water molecues are compressing the cylinder by repelling it whereas we know only attractive forces exist within water molecules.

You appear to have a misconception about the intermolecular forces within water. A characterization of attractive or repulsive is not useful.
The intermolecular forces try to keep the separation between neighboring molecules at a fixed equilibrium value. The equilibrium is stable, so at closer distances it is repulsive and at larger distances it is attractive.
At the surface, particles attempting to leave are trying to increase the separation, so the attractive aspect is important there. At depth, pressure and gravity are trying to compress the molecule to smaller separations, so the repulsive aspect is important there. But in both cases it is the same force which is both attractive and repulsive.
A: Pascal's principle states that Pressure is applied in all directions inside a fluid.
Technically, each small volume $dV$ is exerting pressure to all of its neighbours, but it is also receiving the same pressure from the neighbours, so that creates an equilibrium. However, if you introduce a non-fluid object, the forces must be taken into account
