RAMALLAH, February 6, 2017 (WAFA) – Israeli military vehicles Monday infiltrated Palestinian farmlands, east of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.

WAFA correspondent said four Israeli tanks and three military bulldozers left an army base, southeast of Deir al-Balah, and advanced for 150 meters into borderline farmlands, leveling them and opening fire indiscriminately.      

This came as Israeli naval ships opened gun fire at Palestinian fishing boats, sailing within four nautical miles offshore Gaza city, damaging at least a boat.

There were no reports of injuries among the fishermen who fled the scene for fear of being detained, injured or killed.

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 that was reached in August 2014.

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

According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), all Israeli attacks on 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.”

K.F/M.H