Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinians fishing boats, while forces targeted farmers in the southern Gaza Strip, on Saturday.Witnesses told Ma’an News Agency that naval forces opened fire the fishing boats off the coast of Al-Nuseirat and Al-Zawayda refugee camps, located in the central Gaza Strip.
An Israeli army spokeswoman said that several vessels deviated from the designated fishing zone Saturday morning, and retreated to shore after Israeli naval forces fired warning shots into the air, adding that no injuries were reported.
The shooting comes days after a fishing boat was damaged by Israeli fire earlier this week, while Israeli forces arrested two Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Beit Lahiya on May 10.
Separately on Saturday, Israeli forces reportedly opened fire at Palestinian farmers in eastern Khan Younis.
No injuries were reported.
An Israeli army spokeswoman did not have immediate information regarding the incident in Khan Younis.
Saturday’s events come as Israeli forces have escalated attacks against Gazan Palestinians inside of the Israeli-implemented and controlled buffer zone. Gaza-based Israeli watchdog Al Mezan documented Israeli forces opening fire in the border areas six seperate times during the first ten days of May, leaving four injured including one child.
In the seaside buffer-zone, Al Meza recorded ten incidents of Israeli fire on Palestinian fishermen within the same time period, resulting in two fishermen injured, two arrested, and one confiscated fishing boat.
The Aug. 26 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian militant groups stipulated that Israel would immediately expand the fishing zone off Gaza’s coast, allowing fishermen to sail as far as six nautical miles from shore, and would continue to expand the area gradually.
Since then, there have been widespread reports that Israeli forces have opened fire at fishermen within those new limits, and the zone has not yet been expanded.
See: 94 Israeli Ceasefire Violations Since August
