Last Wednesday at dawn, the Israeli Air Force bombed a training center that belongs to the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement in northern Gaza. The Qassam Brigades reported that the army attempted to assassinate some of its fighters.The Maan News Agency reported that Israeli F16 war jets fired five missiles into the Qassam training center, located behind Sheikh Zayed residential towers, in Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The shelling led to massive destruction but no casualtie were inflicted.
The Al-Qassam Brigades stated that the army attempted to assassinate some of its senior fighters, but they managed to escape the shelling unharmed.
The Brigades added that its fighters managed to fire three missiles into the Eshkol Regional Council, in the Negev.
According to other related news, Israeli Navy gunboats fired dozens of rounds of live ammunition against Palestinian fishing boats in the Gaza Coast and in the Central Area of the coastal region, however no damages or injuries were reported.
Israel repeatedly targets Palestinian fishermen and fishing boats in the Gaza Strip. As a consequence, dozens of casualties were reported as well as a several fishing boats were seriously damaged. Last week, the Israeli forces illegally detained four fishermen and their boats were confiscated.
In addition to these actions,the Israeli forces have managed to reduce the permitted fishing area to 6 nautical miles, in contrast with the 20 nautical miles previously agreed upone in 2008 according to the agreements signed between the Palestinians and Israel. However, Israeli forces have continued to prevent fishermen from going beyond 3 nautical miles since 2009, according to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR).
As a result, fishermen are prevented from reaching areas beyond that distance where fish is abundant. Sometimes, Israeli forces also chase fishermen within the 3 nautical mile area. Consequently, Palestinian fishermen have lost 85% of their source of income, because of the limiting the fishing area, the PCHR added.
