Palestinian medical sources have reported that two fishermen were shot and injured late Monday night, after Israeli navy boats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats near the Rafah shore, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.The sources said that the soldiers targeted the boats, despite the fact that they are near the shore, and did not even approach the designated fishing zone Israel imposed on the Palestinians in Gaza.
The two wounded fishermen were moved to a local hospital.
A number of boats were hit by Israeli navy fire; fearing for their lives, the fishermen left the area.
Israeli soldiers carry daily attacks against the fishermen in the coastal region, preventing them from performing their work in order to support themselves and their families.
A few weeks ago, a Palestinian fishing boat sank, causing several injuries among the fishermen, after the army opened fire their boat.
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.
