Israeli naval forces on Saturday detained three Palestinian fishermen off the coast of the blockaded Gaza Strip, according to a local official.
Israeli gunboats opened fire on Palestinian fishing boats west of Gaza City and arrested three fishermen, Nizar Ayyash, head of Gaza’s fishermen union, told Anadolu Agency.
Israeli navy detains 3 fishermen off Gaza coast – Middle East Monitor Read more https://t.co/R5cVeAnp8p
— RTNews24 (@rtnews24en) May 12, 2019
The cause of the detention remains unclear and the Israeli military has yet to issue an official statement.
According to Palestinian figures, roughly 50,000 inhabitants of Gaza earn their living through fishing.
On Friday, the Israeli authorities allowed Gaza fishermen to resume fishing after a week-long hiatus in the wake of military escalation between Israel and Gaza-based resistance factions.
Israel has enforced limitations on Gaza fishermen. Not because they want to starve the Palestinians, but because rockets come are delivered by ships. Satelites are note 24/7 over any area.
Every truck into Gaza is inspected, but weapons could also come through tunnels to Egypt.
— Trond Groven (@GrovenTrond) May 12, 2019
After Israel’s 2014 onslaught against the Gaza Strip (in which more than 2,150 Palestinians were killed), Israel began allowing Palestinian fishermen to ply their trade up to six nautical miles off Gaza’s coast before increasing the fishing zone to 12 nautical miles.
(Middle East Monitor, PC, Social Media)
