By Palestine Chronicle Staff
Palestinian fisherman and farmers in the border areas east of Gaza City came under fire by Israeli forces on Monday.
Ma’an reported that Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishermen boats preventing them from fishing within a range of five nautical miles, despite the designated fishing range extending to six miles.
A temporary extension was imposed by Israeli authorities on Sunday, reducing the designated fishing zone off the coast of the Gaza Strip to six nautical miles after it had been set to nine miles for one week.
Gaza's fishermen are just trying to make a living, so why does Israel frequently shoot and arrest them? https://t.co/7IswuE39RU
— Joe Catron (@jncatron) June 28, 2016
Sami al-Asmi, head of the Gaza Strip’s Workers Union, condemned Israel for opening fire on fishermen, damaging their boats and forcing them out of the waters.
Al-Asmi further criticized Israeli forces for shooting at farmers on Monday, and preventing them from reaching their lands.
Ma’an reported an Israeli army spokesperson saying they were looking into reports of the two incidents.
Daily, Palestinian fishermen, farmers and shepherds face ‘warming shots’ from the Israeli army for entering the Israeli-enforced “buffer zone,” a unilaterally declared area implemented after Israel imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip a decade ago.
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights has reported that fishermen were often targeted when they posed no threat. Israel typically cites security concerns when targeting Palestinian agricultural areas.
(Palestine Chronicle)
