The Israeli TV reported that a number of senior Israeli military and security analysts believe that the escalation in the Gaza Strip will not stop and will likely lead to further Israeli military offensives “should armed groups continue to fire shells into southern Israel”.The report claimed that the latest Israeli air strikes targeting different parts of the Gaza Strip, on Sunday at dawn, pinpointed a Hamas-run military facility, and two weapons storage facilities.
The Israeli army said that the targets were hit and destroyed, and that no clashes have been reported with any resistance group in Gaza.
The army claimed that the attacks come in retaliation to the firing of homemade shells from Gaza into adjacent Israeli areas; Israeli reported no injuries or damage.
Israel also decided to close the Karem Shalom (Karem Abu Salem) Crossing with Gaza until further notice.
On Saturday morning, the Israeli Navy opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats near the coast of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, leading to damages and forcing the fishermen to return to the coast.
The Gaza Fishermen Syndicate reported that the fishermen were in Palestinian waters less than three nautical miles of the Gaza shore, and added that the ongoing attacks and violations against the fishermen are depriving them from their only sources of livelihood.
On Wednesday morning April 24, 2013, Israeli Navy boats opened fire at a number of Palestinian fishing boats at the Gaza coast, an issue that forced them back to the shore without being able to fish.
As part of the ceasefire agreement that ended the Israeli war on Gaza in November 2012, Palestinian fishermen are allowed to fish within six nautical miles off the Gaza coast, but the navy continued to attack them in their allotted areas.
Under the Oslo accords in the mid-nineties, the Palestinians are allowed to fish in 20 nautical miles off the Gaza shore, but in 2008, Israel unilaterally reduced the fishing area to only three nautical miles.
As part of the ceasefire agreement that ended the Israeli war on Gaza in November 2012, Palestinian fishermen were allowed to fish within six nautical miles off the Gaza coast, but the army continued to attack the fishermen in their allocated areas, and continued its policy of forcing them to fish within 3 nautical miles.
The fishermen are repeatedly attacked even within the three nautical miles, an issue that denies denying them, and their families, from the only source of livelihood.
