Israeli regime reduces Gaza fishing zone
Decision to punish Palestinians over ongoing Gaza protests since March 30
Israeli regime’s defence minister yesterday ordered a reduction in the fishing zone along the Gaza Strip’s coastline, in retaliation for clashes along the border fence with the Palestinian enclave.
The fishing zone will be reduced to six nautical miles (11 kilometres) from nine nautical miles, a statement by Avigdor Lieberman’s office said.
Restrictions on the extent of fishing zones along the Gaza shoreline form part of the Israeli regime’s economic blockade of the Strip, which has been in place for more than a decade.
Under the Oslo Accords of the early 1990s, fishermen are supposed to be allowed to operate up to 20 nautical miles off the coast.
Lieberman decided to reduce the fishing zone after violent incidents on Friday along the border between occupation forces and Gaza, the defence ministry statement said.
Three Palestinians were killed by Israeli regime fire during protests along the border fence on Friday, while 376 were wounded, including 126 with bullet wounds, Gaza’s health ministry said. The Israeli army said around 20,000 Palestinians had demonstrated.
Ahead of the latest protests, Lieberman had on Friday issued a warning to Hamas, the movement that controls Gaza.
The regime defence minister indicated that the Israeli regime would step up its retaliation against the protests after the Jewish holiday season, that ended early last week.
Palestinians have been protesting at least weekly along the Gaza border since March 30 in what they call the “Great March of Return”.
Protesters are demanding an end to the blockade and for Palestinian refugees to be allowed to return to homes their families fled.
At least 198 Palestinians have been killed since the protests began.