[Wednesday, May 7, 2014] Palestinian medical sources have reported that two fishermen were injured after Israeli Navy boats chased Palestinian fishing boats in territorial waters, west of Gaza city.The sources said the two fishermen, of the Bakr family, suffered mild-to-moderate wounds, and were moved to the Shifa Medical Center.
Eyewitnesses said Navy boats fired rounds of live ammunition and water bombs, causeing high waves resulting in a collision between two fishing boats.
A few days ago, Israeli soldiers assaulted several Palestinian fishing boats and fishermen, causing injuries, and damage to the boats and fishing nets.
The navy frequently attacks Palestinian fishermen and their boats in Gaza territorial waters, and repeatedly kidnaps and imprisons them. Such attacks led to dozens of casualties, including several fatalities.
Under the Oslo accords of the mid-nineties, the Palestinians are supposed to be allowed to fish within 20 nautical miles off the Gaza shore, but Tel Aviv has constantly violated the agreement.
There are some 4,000 fishermen in Gaza and, according to a 2011 report by the International Committee of the Red Cross, 90 percent of them are impoverished — a 40 percent increase from 2008, due to Israeli-imposed limits on the industry.
