Breaking Headline

Israeli navy boats fire at Gaza fishermen

Published June 6th, 2014 - 10:40 GMT
Al Bawaba
Al Bawaba

Israeli naval forces on Friday opened fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the coast of the Gaza Strip.

"Israeli gunboats opened fire toward a group of Palestinian fishermen north of the Gaza Strip," a media source told the Anadolu Agency.

No casualties were reported.

Israel allows fishing up to 6 miles off the Gaza coast.

When it first imposed its blockade on the Gaza Strip in 2006, Israel had allowed a 3-nautical-mile fishing zone for Palestinian fishermen.

Gaza fishermen say the measures have adversely impacted their traditional business. They complain that their annual hauls have since fallen from pre-blockade levels of some 4,000 tons of fish to a current 1,500 tons.

Of the Gaza Strip's roughly 1.8 million inhabitants, about 40,000 earn their living from fishing, according to the Palestinian Fishermen's Union.

Subscribe

Sign up to our newsletter for exclusive updates and enhanced content