ISRAELI WARSHIP OPENS FIRE AT GAZA FISHERMEN

Gaza, 19 Dzulqa’dah 1435/14 September 2014 (MINA) –An Israeli warship opened fire Sunday morning at Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Gaza City’s Al-Shati refugee camp, the speaker of the Union of Gaza Fishermen said.

Nizar Ayyash told Ma’an that Israeli gunboats “have been firing at fishermen every day since the ceasefire agreement was signed.”Maan quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

He also said that Israeli naval forces have detained six Palestinian fishermen since the ceasefire agreement in late August that brought an end to a more than 50 day offensive that left over 2,100 dead.

Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israel agreed to expand the fishing zone off the coast of Gaza open to Palestinian fishermen from its previous three nautical miles.

Ayyash said that Gaza fishermen were sailing within the agreed-upon six-nautical mile limit, “but the occupation violates the agreement every day.”

An Israeli military spokeswoman said that “a motorboat deviated from the designated fishing zone” of six nautical miles and Israeli forces fired a “warning shot” in response.

She added that the motorboat complied and returned closer to shore following the incident.

Although many predicted that Israel would expand the fishing zone up to 12 miles as a part of the ceasefire agreement, after the initial expansion to six, no further changes have been seen.

Before the ceasefire, Palestinian fishermen were only allowed to go three nautical miles from Gaza’s shore, even though an Israeli-Palestinian agreement previously settled on 20 nautical miles.

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

The Israeli blockade in place since 2006 has severely limited the imports and exports of the Gaza Strip and has led to frequent humanitarian crises and hardship for Gazans. (T/P002/R03)

 Mi’raj Isamic News Agency (MINA)