EGYPTIAN NAVY FIRE ON PALESTINIAN FISHERMEN IN GAZA WATERS

Gaza, 23 Rabiul Akhir 1435/23 February 2014 (MINA) – An Egyptian gunboat on Saturday morning opened fire towards a Palestinian boat off the Rafah coast in the southern Gaza Strip after violating the Palestinian maritime borders.

Nizar Ayyash, Head of the Palestinian Fishermen’s Syndicate, told ALRAY that the Egyptian boat crossed into the Palestinian waters about 200 meters, and chased down and fired at one of the boats.

Ayyash said no one was injured in the incident and denounced the repeated Egyptian navy’s attacks against the fishermen in Rafah, ALRAY, Palestinian Media Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

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In September 2013, Egyptian navy arrested two fishermen, wounded five , and confiscated a boat in a similar attack on Palestinian fishermen.

Under the current military rule in Egypt, the Palestinian fishermen of Rafah have been banned to fish in the few nautical miles of Egyptian waters they were allowed to venture during Morsi’s one-year presidency.

Gaza has nearly 3700 fishermen divided into the five governorates. They are fishing within a loose six nautical miles limit that the Israeli occupation set for them under an agreement that followed the eight-day 2012 offensive against Gaza. (T/E01/IR)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)