Israeli tanks enter Gaza border area, navy fires at fishermen

Published yesterday (updated) 24/04/2014 19:17

(MaanImages/file)

 

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Six Israeli military tanks on Thursday entered a border area in the southern Gaza Strip, witnesses said.

The tanks crossed into Gaza in an area called al-Qarara, north of Khan Younis, and leveled agricultural fields before leaving.

Three helicopters were seen hovering at a low altitude during the incursion.

Meanwhile, Israel's navy opened fire at fishermen off the coast of northern Gaza, locals said.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said a "Palestinian vessel deviated from the designated fishing zone. Naval forces called at them to stop and fired warning shots in the air. Once it failed to comply, naval forces approached the vessel and the fishermen were taken for questioning."

Local activists named the fishermen as Hamdi Sultan and Muhammad Zayid.

In the Oslo Accords, Israel agreed to a 20-nautical-mile fishing zone off Gaza's coast but it imposed a 3-mile limit for several years, opening fire at fishermen who strayed further.

Israel has controlled Gaza waters since its occupation of the area in 1967, and has kept several warships stationed off the coast since 2008.

Israeli forces wound Palestinian in shooting near Jabaliya

Published Friday 18/04/2014 (updated) 20/04/2014 19:06

 

(MaanImages/file)

 

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces shot and injured a Palestinian man near Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip on Friday.

Spokesman for the Gaza Strip Ministry of Health Ashraf al-Qidra said that a 24-year-old man was shot by Israeli forces east of Jabaliya and was subsequently transferred to Kamal Adwan Hospital.

Al-Qidra described the injuries sustained by the man as "moderate."

An Israeli military spokeswoman said that "a crowd of Palestinians gathered in a prohibited area," and as a result "soldiers tried to distance them using riot dispersal means and warning shots."

She added that soldiers then opened fire toward the lower extremities of a "main instigator" and identified a hit.

Separately, Israeli forces opened fire on a demonstration around noon near southeast of Gaza City that had been called for in support of the Al-Aqsa mosque compound by the coalition "Palestine Youth Coalition."

Israeli forces shoot Palestinian east of Khan Younis

(MaanImages/File)

 

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- An Israeli soldier on Friday shot a Palestinian man in the lower extremities during a protest in southern Gaza, an army spokeswoman told Ma'an.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said that during a protest at the border east of Khan Younis, a Palestinian demonstrator attempted to climb the border fence.

Israel soldiers fired warning shots in the air, and afterwards fired at the protester's lower extremities, she said.

"A hit was confirmed," she added.

The severity of the protester's injury was not immediately clear.

Israeli forces injure 5 medics after 'targeting' Gaza ambulance

Published yesterday (updated) 12/04/2014 10:05

(MaanImages/file)

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Five Palestinian medics suffered from excessive tear gas inhalation after Israeli forces fired a tear gas canister at their ambulance in the northern Gaza Strip, a medical official said.

Spokesman for the Gaza Strip ministry of health Ashraf al-Qidra said that Israeli forces had "targeted" three military ambulances near the Eastern Cemetery east of Jabaliya.

The five medics were treated on the scene, he added.

The circumstances of the reported attack were not immediately clear.

An Israeli military spokeswoman had no information regarding the incident.

Israeli forces fire tank shell near Erez crossing, no injuries

Published Thursday 10/04/2014 (updated) 11/04/2014 19:42

(MaanImages)

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) – Israeli forces fired on Thursday morning fired an artillery shell at an open area in the northern Gaza Strip, witnesses told Ma’an.

The tank shell landed in an open area near Erez crossing.

The area, according to witnesses, was an Israeli industrial zone before the Israeli forces disengaged from the Gaza Strip in 2005.

No injuries have been reported.

Israeli forces injure 4 Palestinians in shootings near Gaza border

Published Thursday 10/04/2014 (updated) 11/04/2014 17:41

(MaanImages/file)

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Four Palestinians were injured across the Gaza Strip on Thursday as Israeli forces opened fire in two incidents and fired a tank shell into the besieged Palestinian enclave, medical sources said.

A young Palestinian was shot and injured by Israeli forces east of Jabaliya refugee camp north of Gaza on Thursday afternoon.

Spokesman for the Gaza Strip ministry of heath Ashraf al-Qidra told Ma'an that a 24-year-old was shot in the foot near the eastern cemetery.

He was taken to Kamal Adwan Hospital with moderate injuries, al-Qidra added.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said that "suspects approached the fence and were called numerous times to stop," but after they failed to do so soldiers opened fire towards their "lower extremities." She could not confirm any hits.

The shooting follows an incident in the morning when three Palestinian men were shot and injured by Israeli fire near the Erez/Beit Hanoun crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical and security sources said.

The sources said Israeli troops stationed on monitor towers opened fire at workers collecting small stones from fields to be used for making concrete, injuring three workers seriously.

Palestinian ambulances evacuated the victims to Kamal Udwan hospital.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said Israeli forces fired at Palestinians who had gathered near the crossing after the failed to respond to warning shots and riot-dispersal means.

She could not confirm if any direct hits were registered.

Earlier, Israeli forces fired an artillery shell at an open area in the northern Gaza Strip, witnesses told Ma'an.

The tank shell landed in an open area near Erez crossing.

The area, according to witnesses, was an Israeli industrial zone before Israeli forces disengaged from the Gaza Strip in 2005. No injuries were reported in that incident.

The National Resistance Brigades, a military wing affiliated to the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, told Ma'an that fighters affiliated to the group detonated an explosive device near the crossing.

Israeli forces frequently shoot at farmers and other civilians inside the Gaza Strip if they approach large swathes of land near the border that the Israeli military has deemed off-limits to Palestinians.

The "security buffer zone" extends between 500 meters and 1500 meters into the Strip, effectively turning local farms into no-go zones.

According to UNOCHA, 17 percent of Gaza's total land area and 35 percent of its agricultural land were within the buffer zone as of 2010, directly affecting the lives and livelihoods of more than 100,000 Gazans.

The Gaza Strip has been under a severe economic blockade imposed by the State of Israel since 2006.

The blockade has severely limited the imports and exports of the Gaza Strip and has led to frequent humanitarian crises and hardship for Gazans.

Israeli miltary vehicles 'enter Gaza,' warships fire at fishermen

Published Tuesday 08/04/2014 (updated) 09/04/2014 11:51

 

(MaanImages)

 

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Several Israeli military vehicles entered the southern Gaza Strip early Tuesday, witnesses told Ma'an.

Locals said six military vehicles entered Gaza east of al-Qarara. No shooting was reported.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said she was not familiar with the incident.

Separately, Israeli warships opened fire at Palestinian fishermen off the coast of northern Gaza City, causing damages to one fishing boat.

A fisherman told Ma'an an Israeli naval squadron fired at Palestinian boats near the al-Sudaniyya neighborhood. No injuries were reported.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said she knew of "several instances where boats deviated from their designated fishing zones" overnight off the coast of Gaza.

The spokeswoman said the Israeli navy fired warning shots into the air or in the vicinity of the Palestinian boats, but not directly at the boats or the fishermen.

In the Oslo Accords, Israel agreed to a 20-nautical-mile fishing zone off Gaza's coast but it has imposed a three-mile limit for several years, opening fire at fishermen who stray further.

Israel has controlled Gaza's waters since its occupation of the area in 1967, and has stationed warships off the coast since 2008.

There are some 4,000 fishermen in Gaza. According to a 2011 report by the International Committee of the Red Cross, 90 percent are poor, a 40 percent increase from 2008 resulting from Israeli limits on the fishing industry.

Israeli military vehicles enter Gaza, 'fire shell'

Published Monday 07/04/2014 (updated) 08/04/2014 11:32

 

(MaanImages/File)

 

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli military vehicles entered the central Gaza Strip early Monday, witnesses told Ma'an.

Locals said six bulldozers escorted by military vehicles and tanks drove about 150 meters into Gaza east of Deir al-Balah.

A tank fired a mortar shell towards a Palestinian neighborhood, but no injuries were reported, witnesses added.

Bulldozers leveled lands in the area before they returned to the Israeli side of the border.

An Israeli military spokeswoman called the army's presence in the area "routine activity adjacent to the border fence" but was not familiar with any mortar shells being fired.

In a separate incident, she said the army prevented "a terror attack" in Gaza.

The army said in an emailed statement that "two suspects approached the security fence in the southern Gaza Strip, carrying a suspicious object and tampering with the ground."

"IDF (Israeli army) forces fired warning shots and the suspects fled the scene, leaving the object. Moments later the object exploded."

No injuries or damages were reported.

Israeli bulldozers enter Gaza border area, level agricultural land

Published Thursday 03/04/2014 13:16

 

(MaanImages/file)

 

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli military vehicles entered a border area in the southern Gaza Strip on Thursday and leveled Palestinian agricultural lands.

Eyewitnesses told Ma'an that six bulldozers accompanied by Israeli tanks entered an area east of Rafah and leveled agricultural land.

Several aircraft patrols were seen in the area, locals added.