Israel arrests four Palestinian fishermen off Gaza coast
GAZA (Reuters) – Israel arrested 4 Palestinian fishermen off the Mediterranean coast of Gaza on Saturday, Palestinian and Israeli sources mentioned.
The Israeli army mentioned it apprehended 4 suspects after two Palestinian vessels strayed from the designated fishing zone within the northern Gaza Strip, “violating safety restrictions”. The navy fired on the boats after they failed to reply to directions to halt, it added.
The secretary of the Gaza fishermen’s syndicate, Nizar Ayyash, advised Reuters there have been at the very least three Israeli assaults on Gaza fishermen on Saturday — all throughout the permitted fishing space.
In one of many incidents, he mentioned, Israeli forces fired rubber bullets at a ship, wounding two of the 4 individuals aboard who have been later hospitalised. In one other, they seized a small boat after detaining the 2 fishermen on board, he added.
“We’ve recorded a number of violations in opposition to fishermen throughout the permitted fishing zone previously weeks,” mentioned Ayyash.
Fishing is likely one of the greatest industries within the coastal enclave, dwelling to some 2.3 million Palestinians.
Israel maintains a land, air and sea blockade of Gaza, which is ruled by the Islamist militant group Hamas, citing safety issues. Boats are usually not allowed to stray past a hard and fast restrict to the north in direction of Israel and Egypt retains comparable limitations to the south-west.
(Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza; Extra reporting by Henriette Chacar in Haifa; Enhancing by Kirsten Donovan)
