Egyptian sources have reported that an Egyptian military court sentenced on Wednesday [September 18, 2013] five Palestinian fishermen to one year imprisonment after “convicting” them of violating Egyptian territorial waters.The Anadolu Turkish news agency stated that the five fishermen accidentally crossed into Egyptian waters while fishing.
Palestinian fishermen in Gaza stated that the Egyptian Navy escalated its attacks and violations against them, and repeatedly chased their boats even in Palestinian territorial water, and up to the shore.
They added that the Egyptian navy also repeatedly fires rounds of live ammunition at their boats, in addition to violently beating them before their arrest.
Egyptian navy attacks against Gaza fishermen are taking place amidst ongoing and escalating Israeli military assaults against them leading to dozens of arrests, casualties and excessive property damage.
