May 23, 2015 12:45 P.M. (Updated: May 27, 2015 11:11 P.M.)
(AFP/File)
GAZA
CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishing
boats while forces targeted farmers in the southern Gaza Strip on
Saturday.Witnesses told Ma'an that the navel forces opened
fire at the fishing boats off the coast of Al-Nuseirat and Al-Zawayda
refugee camps located in the central Gaza Strip.
An
Israeli army spokeswoman told Ma'an that several vessels deviated from
the designated fishing zone Saturday morning, and retreated to shore
after Israeli naval forces fired warning shots into the air, adding that
no injuries were reported.The shooting comes days after a
fishing boat was damaged by Israeli fire earlier this week, while
Israeli forces arrested two Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Beit
Lahiya on May 10. Separately on Saturday, Israeli forces reportedly opened fire at Palestinian farmers in eastern Khan Younis.No injuries were reported.An Israeli army spokeswoman did not have immediate information regarding the incident in Khan Younis.Saturday's
events come as Israeli forces have escalated attacks against Gazan
Palestinians inside of the Israeli-implemented and controlled buffer
zone. Gaza-based Israeli watchdog Al Mezan documented Israeli forces
opening fire in the border areas six seperate times during the first ten
days of May, leaving four injured including one child.In
the seaside buffer-zone, Al Meza recorded ten incidents of Israeli fire
on Palestinian fishermen within the same time period, resulting in two
fishermen injured, two arrested, and one confiscated fishing boat.The
Aug. 26 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian militant
groups stipulated that Israel would immediately expand the fishing zone
off Gaza's coast, allowing fishermen to sail as far as six nautical
miles from shore, and would continue to expand the area gradually.Since
then, there have been widespread reports that Israeli forces have
opened fire at fishermen within those new limits, and the zone has not
yet been expanded.
