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Israeli navy opens fire on Palestinian fishermen

Palestinian fishermen check their nets after arriving back from a fishing trip at the port of Gaza City on April 21, 2015. (Photo by AFP)

Israeli navy forces have opened fire on Palestinian fishermen in their boats off the coast of the besieged Gaza Strip, Palestinian officials say.

Palestinian security officials said the incident took place off the coast of Rafah in southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, with no report of casualties.

Last week, an 11-year-old Palestinian child was shot and injured while he was with his father, a fisherman, near the shores of Beit Lahia village in northern Gaza Strip.

Palestinian fishermen, who make a living off the shores of the Israeli-blockaded coastal sliver, are threatened daily with harassment, confiscation of boats and materials as well as detention.

Palestinian fishermen set their fishnet along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea in Gaza City, northern Gaza Strip, March 9, 2015. (Photo by AP)

 

Israeli navy forces often target boats belonging to Gazan fishermen even within a fishing area limit agreed by Israel and the Palestinians at the end of an Israeli war last summer.

Under the ceasefire deal between the two sides, the fishing area off the coast of Gaza was increased to six nautical miles from the previous three nautical miles. The agreement also stipulated that Israel would expand the area gradually up to 12 miles.

According to human rights organizations, the Israeli military has attacked Gazan fishermen many times since the end of last summer’s 50-day war, which left nearly 2,200 people dead and over 11,100 others wounded.

Reports say at least three Palestinian fishermen have been shot dead by Israeli forces over the past months.


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