Israeli Navy kills Palestinian fisherman off Gaza coast

By Said Amouri

JERUSALEM (AA) - At least one Palestinian fisherman was killed and two others injured when Israeli Navy opened fire at a fishing boat off Gaza's coast, Israeli media reported.

Two Israeli soldiers were also injured in the incident, broadcaster Channel 2 reported, without explaining the nature of the injuries.

An Israeli army spokesman, quoted by the channel, said the fishermen had crossed the designated fishing zone.

He added that the firing injured three fishermen, of which one was later pronounced dead.

The fishermen were taken to Barzilai Hospital in Israel's southern Ashkelon city, he said.

According to a Gaza-based fishermen’s union, roughly 50,000 Gazans earn their living from fishing.

After Israel's devastating military onslaught against Hamas-run Gaza in mid-2014, in which some 2,150 Palestinians were killed, Israel began allowing Palestinian fishermen to fish up to six nautical miles off the Gazan coast, as opposed to three nautical miles previously.

Last May, Israeli authorities increased the fishing area for Gazan fishermen to nine nautical miles.