Israeli forces fire at farmers, fishermen in central Gaza

May 7, 2015 12:04 P.M. (Updated: May 7, 2015 12:54 P.M.)

 

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian farmers tending their fields in central Gaza on Thursday as navy gunboats fired at Palestinian fishermen off the coast, witnesses said.Israeli soldiers stationed in watchtowers along the Gaza border opened fire east of Deir al-Balah on agricultural fields, witnesses said, with no injuries reported.

Israeli naval forces opened fire at fishermen off the coast of Deir al-Balah, damaging a fishing boat.

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

Palestinian fishermen face near daily fire from Israeli forces, with Gaza-based watchdog the al-Mezan Center for Human Rights reporting 29 attacks by Israeli forces on Palestinian fisherman between Sept. 1, 2014 and March 15, 2015.Due to high frequency of such attacks, however, live fire at fishing boats often goes unreported.