Gaza _ Palestine News Network
Israeli occupying forces on Friday opened fire at a group of Palestinian fishermen in the central and northern Gaza Strip.
Palestinian sources said that Israeli naval boats had tried to flood Palestinian boats while their fishing owners were working three miles west of the central Gaza Strip, where they had been chased and targeted by live fire and water pumps, which had led to imbalances before fleeing the scene towards Beach.
For his part, two Palestinian fishermen reported being assaulted by an Israeli "cruiser" gunboat off the northern shores of the Gaza Strip, where the occupying soldiers opened fire on their boat, forcing them to move towards the south, so that the chase would continue for nearly six kilometres.
The fishermen added that the Israeli forces ordered them to stop and tried to flood their boat using the water pump, which led to the pressure of the water, which caused a fisherman to fall into the sea at a distance of 12 meters from the boat, and again exposed at sea to an Israeli attempt to drown him by directing the pump towards him Directly.
The Israeli attack caused physical damage, including the disruption of the vessel and its equipment, as well as the fishermen´s telephones.
Some 4,000 Palestinians are working in the area of al-Asmal fishing in the Gaza Strip; most suffer from deteriorating economic conditions due to repeated Israeli violations, including the prevention of fishing in areas where fish stocks are available.
The Israeli army forces have been carrying out repeated attacks against Palestinian fishermen, ranging from direct firing towards them, arrest and confiscation of boats and others.
