Minister Al-Agha of Hamas government: Despite truce, Israel attacks fishermen

Sunday September 07, 2008 10:38 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

Palestinian Minister of Agriculture of the Hamas government in Gaza, Mohammad Al-Agha said that despite the 100-day-old ceasefire between the Palestinian resistance factions and Israel, the Israeli naval vessels continue to attack fishermen on board of Gaza shores.

The Minister believed that such attacks appear to be an attempt from the part of Israel to test the sustainability of the truce deal.

Al-Agha's remarks came in response to a shoot-out against some fishing boats, accompanied by international activists while on board yesterday.

The Palestinian Minister hailed the role of those internationals in breaking the Israeli siege on Gaza, calling on Arab masses to take similar moves to break the ' debilitating' blockade.

The shooting at internationals and fishermen on Saturday was not the first sign these peace activists and human rights workers arrived by the Gaza shores on August 23, on board of the Free Gaza Boat.

Those who chose to stay in Gaza were 9 out of 44 others who left Gaza after spending fives days where they observed closely how desperate the conditions are under the Israeli blockade.

In June 2007, Israel enforced a closure on all Gaza's crossings, following Hamas's takeover of the region. On June 19, 2008, Israel and the ruling Hamas party agreed to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire deal, in which Israel would stop attacks on Gaza, while resistance factions would halt firing homemade shells in nearby Israeli areas.

gaza strip | truce | news report rami at imemc dot org