Israeli navy attacks fishermen of gaza

Israeli naval boats on Monday resumed attacks against Palestinian fishermen sailing within the unilaterally imposed six-nautical-mile fishing zone offshore Gaza, according to local sources.

WAFA correspondent said the Israeli navy opened heavy machine gunfire on fishermen’s boats, which caused damage to two boats. No injuries were reported among fishermen who apparently fled the scene for fear of being detained, inured, or killed.

Israeli navy targets Gaza fishermen almost on a daily basis, in a blatant breach of a ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and armed Palestinian groups in august 2014, following 51 days of bloody aggression on the Gaza Strip, which claimed the lives of over 2.200 Palestinians, mostly civilians.

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 election and took over power in the Strip.

According to OCHA weekly report covering the period between 16 and 22 of February 2016 , “At least 21 incidents involving Israeli forces opening warning fire at Palestinian civilians in the Access Restricted Areas (ARA) on land and sea in the Gaza Strip were recorded, none of which resulted in casualties.”

Source: WAFA