Israeli Navy Fires On Gaza Fishermen

Israeli naval forces on Thursday opened fire on Palestinian fishermen off Gaza shore.



"Israeli gunboats opened fire on a group of Palestinian fishermen north of Gaza Strip," Nezar Ayash, spokesman for Gaza's fishermen, told Anadolu Agency.



No casualties were reported.



Israel allows fishing in a six-mile zone off the Gaza shore.



When it first imposed its blockade on the strip in 2006, Israel had specified a three-nautical-mile fishing zone for Palestinian fisherman.



Gaza fishermen say the measure has adversely impacted their business, complaining that their annual hauls of fish had since fallen from pre-blockade levels of some 4,000 tons to a current 1,500 tons.



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



By Ola Atallah



englishnews@aa.com.tr - Gazze