GAZA, (PIC)-- A Palestinian fisherman, Tawfiq Abu Riyalah, has
died Saturday noon due to injuries he sustained since the early morning
hours at the hands of Israeli navy forces that opened fire at
Palestinian fishing boats in Gaza sea.
The spokesman of the Ministry of Health Ashraf al-Qudrah told the PIC reporter that the Palestinian fisherman Abu Riyalah, 32, died in Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza affected by wounds in the abdomen suffered in the Israeli navy attack on Gazan fishermen at dawn Saturday.
Qudrah said a number of the wounded arrived at the hospital with cases ranging between minor and moderate.
At dawn Saturday, the Israeli navy boats fired machineguns at Palestinian fishing boats. The Israeli attack resulted in the death of Abu Riyalah and the injury and arrest of others whereas one boat was confiscated.
The Gazan fishing boats are almost daily subjected to harassment by the Israeli navy boats deployed off the Gaza coast. As a result, many casualties are suffered in addition to the confiscation of boats and fishing tools.
The spokesman of the Ministry of Health Ashraf al-Qudrah told the PIC reporter that the Palestinian fisherman Abu Riyalah, 32, died in Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza affected by wounds in the abdomen suffered in the Israeli navy attack on Gazan fishermen at dawn Saturday.
Qudrah said a number of the wounded arrived at the hospital with cases ranging between minor and moderate.
At dawn Saturday, the Israeli navy boats fired machineguns at Palestinian fishing boats. The Israeli attack resulted in the death of Abu Riyalah and the injury and arrest of others whereas one boat was confiscated.
The Gazan fishing boats are almost daily subjected to harassment by the Israeli navy boats deployed off the Gaza coast. As a result, many casualties are suffered in addition to the confiscation of boats and fishing tools.
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Fisherman Killed By Israeli Fire In Gaza Waters
Saturday March 07, 2015 23:25 by IMEMC & Agencies
Palestinian medical sources have reported that a fisher who was shot and injured by Israeli navy fire, earlier Saturday, died of his wounds in the Shifa Medical Center, in Gaza, a few hours after his injury.
The
fisher, Tawfiq Abu Ryala, 34, was shot in the abdomen when Israeli
naval ships opened fire on fishing boats in Palestinian territorial
waters, less than six nautical miles off the coast.
The soldiers also forced two fishers, Jihad, 22, and his brother Wahid Sayyed Kaskin, 23 years of age, to swim towards their ship, and kidnapped them.
The attack is part of frequent Israeli violations against the fishers, and their boats, in direct violation of all ceasefire agreements, and the Oslo accords.
Hundreds of residents marched in the funeral procession and ceremony of the slain Palestinian while chanting slogans against the Israeli occupation, its escalating violations and assaults.
On Thursday morning, the navy, shot and wounded two fishermen in Palestinian waters near the Sudaniyya area, northwest of Gaza City, and kidnapped four others.
Two more attacks were reported on Tuesday and Monday of this week. All took place while the boats were in Palestinian territorial waters, within the six allotted nautical miles.
The soldiers also forced two fishers, Jihad, 22, and his brother Wahid Sayyed Kaskin, 23 years of age, to swim towards their ship, and kidnapped them.
The attack is part of frequent Israeli violations against the fishers, and their boats, in direct violation of all ceasefire agreements, and the Oslo accords.
Hundreds of residents marched in the funeral procession and ceremony of the slain Palestinian while chanting slogans against the Israeli occupation, its escalating violations and assaults.
On Thursday morning, the navy, shot and wounded two fishermen in Palestinian waters near the Sudaniyya area, northwest of Gaza City, and kidnapped four others.
Two more attacks were reported on Tuesday and Monday of this week. All took place while the boats were in Palestinian territorial waters, within the six allotted nautical miles.
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Gaza fisherman dies after Israeli forces fire on boats
Published yesterday (updated) 08/03/2015 16:09
Palestinian fisherman off the coast of Gaza in 2005 (MaanImages)
Speaker of the union of Gaza fishermen Nizar Ayyash told Ma'an that Israeli gunboats opened machine gun fire at a group of Palestinian fishermen. Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra confirmed to Ma'an that Tawfiq Abu Riyala died from injuries sustained by the fire.
Ayyash added that Israeli navy then seized two fishing boats and took them to unknown destination.
An Israeli army spokeswoman told Ma'an that after four vessels deviated from the fishing zone this morning, Israeli forces ordered the vessels to halt. Warning shots were fired towards the engines of the vessels, and two hits were confirmed. Two of the vessels were detained by Israeli forces, the other two turning back.
The spokeswoman added that every deviation by fishing boats from the fishing zone is perceived by Israeli forces as a security threat, citing an incident last month in which a vessel was caught outside of the fishing zone with arms intended for Hamas.
The Aug. 26 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian militant groups 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.
Since then, there have been widespread reports that Israeli forces have routinely opened fire at fishermen within those new limits, and the zone has not been expanded.
The al-Mezan Center for Human Rights reported that since the ceasefire agreement Israeli forces have detained 49 Palestinian fishermen, injured 17, confiscated 12 fishing boats and damaged fishing tools in nine other incidents.
Recent targeting of Gazan fishermen comes at a time when economic growth in the coastal enclave is near frozen and 80 percent of the population is food insecure, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.
