GAZA, January 25, 2017 (WAFA) – Israeli navy on Wednesday opened gunfire at Palestinian fishermen‘s fishing boats offshore the coast of the Gaza Strip, local sources said.

WAFA correspondent said Israeli vessels opened fire at the fishing boats with Palestinian fishermen sailing within four nautical miles from the shore of al-Sudaniya area, northwest of Gaza, damaging the two boats. No causalities were reported, however.

To be noted, Israeli navy targets Palestinian fishermen and their fishing boats on almost daily basis.

Palestinian fishermen are targeted by Israel on daily basis despite sailing within the authorized six-nautical-mile fishing zone and the agreement reached between Israel and the Palestinian in August 2014, after Israel’s aggressive attack on Gaza in the same year.

According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza, Israeli attacks against fishermen in Gaza coincided with the restrictions imposed to increase restrictions and prevent them from sailing and fishing.

The Israeli authorities did not commit to the ed fishing area of 20 nautical miles according to the 1993 Oslo Agreement. 

Israel targets fishermen’s’ livelihoods and decreased the fishing area into 6 nautical miles at most; it now ranges between 3 - 6 nautical miles. As a result, fishermen were denied access to the areas, where fish breeds.

K.T/M.N/M.H