Gaza Strip – Wednesday, March 26, 2014, Palestinian medical sources have reported that four fishermen were wounded after Israeli navy arsenal opened fire on their fishing boats near the Rafah shore, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. The army also fired rounds of live ammunition at a number of homes.The Palestinian News & Info Agency (WAFA) has reported that Israeli navy arsenal also fired a shell, and that several homes and boats were hit by army fire, causing excessive property damage and four injuries.
Medical sources said that the four wounded Palestinians were moved to the Abu Yousef an-Najjar Hospital in Rafah suffering moderate injuries.
The Israeli navy frequently attacks Palestinian fishermen and their boats in Palestinian territorial waters, even while their boats are docked at the shore.
Thousands of Palestinian families in Gaza depend on fishing as their only source of livelihood, risking their lives just to be able to fish and support their families.
Last week, Israeli navy boats carried out at least four attacks against Palestinian fishermen in Gaza waters.
As part of the ceasefire agreement of November, 2012, Israel agreed to allow the Palestinians to fish within six nautical miles, but unilaterally decreased the allotted area to three miles.
Last May, Israel decided to allow the fishermen to fish within six nautical miles, but the Israeli navy continued to attack them even within the three nautical miles.
Under the Oslo accords of the mid-nineties, Palestinians are supposed to be allowed to fish within 20 nautical miles off the Gaza shore, but Tel Aviv has constantly violated the agreement.
