GAZA, July 31, 2016 (WAFA) – Israeli army and naval forces Monday attacked Palestinian farmers along Gaza borders and fishermen sailing within 6-nautical-miles in Gaza sea with gunfire, according to WAFA correspondent.
Israeli forces stationed at watchtowers along the borders with eastern Khan Younis city, in southern Gaza Strip, opened heavy machine gunfire toward farmers and prevented them access to their borderline agricultural land. However, no injuries were reported.
Meanwhile, soldiers stationed at watchtowers in the Israeli Kissufim military base, located northeast of Khan Younis, on the Gaza-Israel border, opened fire on famers while tending to their borderline land to the east of Gaza city. No injuries were reported among the farmers who reportedly fled the scene for fear of being injured.
In the meantime, Israeli naval forces targeted Palestinian fishermen with gunfire, despite sailing within the 6-nuatical mile allowed fishing zone offshore al-Sudaniyeh area, northwest of Gaza city.
Israeli army routinely opens fire at Palestinian fishermen and farmlands along the Gaza border, violating a ceasefire deal reached between Israel and the Palestinian factions in Gaza in August 2014.
The Israeli and Palestinian sides reached an Egypt-brokered open-ended ceasefire deal on 26th of August to end the 51-day-long Israeli onslaught on the Strip.
Most of Gaza’s fruitful farmlands are located along the border fence with Israel, depriving the Strip of its major food basket. The border farmlands are also the only source of income for many Palestinian households.
According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), all Israeli attacks on Palestinian fishermen have taken place within the distance of six nautical miles, which it said “proves that Israeli forces‘ policies aim to tighten restrictions on the Gaza Strip‘s fishermen and their livelihoods.”
Israel has imposed a tightened blockade since 2007 after Hamas won the democratic legislative elections and took over power in the strip.
For nine consecutive years, Israel has tightened the land and naval closure to isolate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, and other countries around the world,” said PCHR.
“This resulted in grave violations of the economic, social and cultural rights and a deterioration of living conditions for 1.8 million people,” it added.
T.R.
