Israeli forces shoot, injure Gaza fisherman

Published today (updated) 18/09/2014 11:25

(MaanImages/file)

 

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli naval forces opened fire off the coast of northern Gaza late Wednesday, injuring a Palestinian fisherman on a beach, locals said.

Yousef Zayif, 70, was hit by live fire while waiting for his sons on the shore near al-Sudaniya.

Medics said he was moderately wounded.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said she was looking into the incident.

On Sunday, an Israeli warship opened fire 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."

He also said that Israeli naval forces have detained six Palestinian fishermen since the ceasefire agreement in late August.

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.

 

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Elderly Palestinian fisherman wounded in Israeli navy shooting

[ 18/09/2014 - 08:46 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- A 70-year-old Palestinian fisherman was injured by Israeli navy fire while waiting for the return of his sons from sea on the shores of Sudaniya in northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday night. Local sources said that Yousef Zayed, 70, suffered bullet injuries, which were described as “moderate” by medical staff. The incident is the latest in the series of Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement signed on August 26 with Egyptian mediation.

 

Israeli forces detain 4 Gaza fishermen

Palestinian fishermen work on Jan. 24, 2009 near the border with
Egypt (AFP/File, Said Khatib)

 

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli naval forces early Tuesday detained four Palestinian fishermen off the coast of the northern Gaza Strip, a Ma'an reporter said.

Israeli gunboats intercepted a Palestinian fishing boat near Beit Lahiya and detained four fishermen from the al-Sultan family, taking them to an unknown location.

An Israeli army spokeswoman told Ma'an Israeli naval forces "identified two vessels" that were outside of the "permitted fishing zone" in the area, saying they were further than six miles from shore.

The forces called on the boats to stop, fired warning shots into the air, shot "toward the vicinity of the vessels," and then took the fishermen for "questioning," the spokeswoman said.

Last Wednesday, Israeli forces detained two Palestinian fishermen in the same area.

Since the signing of a ceasefire agreement that ended 50 days of fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants in Gaza on Aug. 26, the Israeli navy has in at least three instances fired at Gaza fishermen under the pretext that they had surpassed fishing zone limits.

Last Tuesday, fishermen told Ma'an Israeli forces fired at them with machine guns while they were fishing well within the six-mile limit near Rafah, in an apparent breach of the ceasefire deal.

The Israeli army confirmed the incident at the time but said only warning shots had been fired and that the fishermen were further than six miles from shore.

The Aug. 26 agreement 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.

Under the terms of the deal, Israel also agreed to ease its siege on the coastal enclave.

Prior to the recent agreement, Israeli forces maintained a limit of three nautical miles on all Gaza fishermen, opening fire at fishermen who strayed further, despite earlier agreements which had settled on a 20-mile limit.

The restrictions crippled Gaza's fishing industry and impoverished local fishermen.

Israeli warships open fire at fishermen off Gaza coast

Published yesterday (updated) 02/09/2014 21:24

(MaanImages/File)

 

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces opened fire at fishermen off the coast of the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, in apparent violation of the ceasefire agreement reached with Palestinian factions a week ago, fishermen said.

Palestinian fishermen told Ma'an that Israeli warships used machine guns to fire at their boats while they were sailing within the agreed-upon six-nautical-mile limit near Rafah.

No injuries were reported.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said fishermen "deviated from the designated fishing zone," and that navy soldiers fired warning shots into the air.

The fishermen then "backed away," the spokeswoman said.

Asked how far the fishermen were sailing from shore, the spokeswoman said she did not know the exact distance, but that it was further than six nautical miles.

Prior the recent agreement, Israeli forces maintained a limit of three nautical miles on all Gaza fishermen, opening fire at fishermen who strayed further, despite earlier Israeli agreements which had settled on a 20-mile limit. The restrictions crippled Gaza's fishing industry and impoverished local fishermen.

A ceasefire agreement reached on Aug. 26 stipulated that Israel would immediately expand the fishing zone off Gaza's coast, allowing fishermen to sail as many as six nautical miles from shore, and would continue to expand the area gradually. Under the terms of the deal, Israel also agreed to ease its siege on the coastal enclave.

Other unresolved issues such as the construction of a seaport and airport, the release of prisoners, and the demilitarization of factions in Gaza were to be negotiated a month later in Cairo.

Israel's assault on Gaza lasted seven weeks, left over 2,100 Palestinians dead and over 11,000 injured, the vast majority of them civilians. Some 71 Israelis also died in the fighting, 66 of them soldiers.

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In violation of truce, Israeli gunboats open fire at fishing boats

[ 02/09/2014 - 04:12 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- Israeli navy boats opened fire on Tuesday morning at Palestinian  fishing boats off Rafah shores, southern Gaza Strip, as Israeli ground forces targeted agricultural lands in Khan Younis. Head of the Palestinian Fishermen Syndicate, Nizar Ayyash, said that Israeli navy forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen off Rafah shores. No injuries were reported. Ayyash stated that the attack came in total violation of the ceasefire agreement that increased the fishing zone to 12 miles gradually. Meanwhile, Israeli soldiers manning watchtowers opened fire at agricultural lands in Khuzaa town in Khan Younis. No injuries were reported during the gunfire. In a similar violation, Israeli forces had opened fire last Thursday at a group of people in Shujaia neighborhood.