Israeli forces deployed along the border of the southern Gaza Strip were reported to have opened fired at Palestinian homes and properties in the area, on Friday morning, according to witnesses. In the northwest of Gaza, forces have again fired on Palestinian fishermen.Soldiers near the Kissufim military base opened fire east of al-Qarrara, located north of Khan Younis, twice early Friday, once after midnight and again later in the morning, witnesses told Ma’an News Agency.
They said the attacks were aimed at Palestinian homes in the area, but that no injuries were reported.
The incident came only hours after Israeli forces fired a tank shell into the Gaza Strip, on Thursday, under the claim that shots had been fired at an Israeli military vehicle near the border.
Although the shell caused no reported injuries, it marked the most serious escalation on the Gaza border since the end of this past summer’s conflict in the region that left nearly 2,200 Palestinians dead and over 11,000 injured, the vast majority of them civilians.
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Ma’an further reports that, while Hamas has largely abided by the terms of the ceasefire and prevented any rocket fire into Israel, Israeli authorities have been slow to carry out their responsibilities according to the ceasefire, particularly in easing the eight-year old siege on the Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces have repeatedly violated the ceasefire by firing at Palestinians inside Gaza near the border fence as well as at sea, killing one on land and damaging numerous fishing boats.
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Fadil Muhammad Halawah, 32, was shot dead on Sunday while hunting birds east of Jabaliya. He was the first Palestinian to be killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip since the signing of the ceasefire.
Israeli occupation military boats showered Palestinian fishing boats with machine gun fire, Friday, off As-Sudaneyya shore northwest of Gaza Strip.
It was reported that random fire shots were heard in the area before it was found out that the shots were targeting small rowing boats. No casualties were reported.
