GAZA, July 14, 2015 (WAFA) – Israeli naval boats Tuesday opened machine gunfire on Palestinian fishing boats offshore the Sudaniya to the northwest of Gaza.

According to WAFA reporter, an Israeli naval boat opened machine gunfire on fishing boats sailing within the unilaterally-imposed six-nautical-miles fishing zone offshore Gaza city, causing damages to a fishing boat.

No injuries were reported among the fishermen who fled the scene for fear of being injured, killed or arrested.

Meanwhile, forces stationed in borderline military watchtowers to the east of al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza Strip indiscriminately opened heavy fire on farmers and neighboring civilian houses to the east of the camp. There were no reports of casualties, nonetheless.

Israeli navy and troops routinely open fire on Palestinian fishermen sailing within the six-nautical-miles zone and farmlands along the border, flagrantly violating the ceasefire deal. Palestinians farmers routinely come under heavy gunfire if they approach large tracts of borderline land that Israeli forces have deemed off-limits to Palestinians.

The buffer zone extends between 500 meters and 1500 meters into the Strip, effectively turning local farms into no-go zones.

According to UNOCHA, 17 percent of Gaza's total land area and 35 percent of its agricultural land lie within the buffer zone as of 2010, directly affecting the lives and livelihoods of more than 100,000 Gaza residents.

 Israel has imposed a tightened blockade since 2007 after Hamas won the democratic legislative election and took over power in the strip. 

The current six-nautical-mile fishing zone falls drastically short of the twenty nautical miles allocated to Palestinian fishermen in the 1993 Oslo Accords.

On Monday, Israeli forces opened gunfire at Palestinian farmlands near the borders to the east of Khan Younes, south of the Gaza Strip.

According to UN figures Israeli military forces have killed four and wounded more than 60 civilians near the perimeter fence with Gaza since the beginning of 2014.

K.F/T.R.