Israeli navy arrests five Palestinian fishermen off Gaza coast
IDF spokesperson says vessel strayed outside three-mile cordon
Ilan Ben Zion is an AFP reporter and a former news editor at The Times of Israel.
The Israeli navy halted a Palestinian fishing boat sailing offshore the Gaza Strip and detained its crew on Sunday, AFP reported.
“A Palestinian fishing boat was found outside the limits of Gaza’s fishing zone and the navy took it to Ashdod where the crew will be interrogated,” an IDF spokeswoman said, according to the news agency.
The navy reportedly fired warning shots athwart the craft and no one was injured.
The Gaza-based Fishermen’s Syndicate confirmed four Palestinian and one Egyptian fishermen were detained.
Since the December 2008 Operation Cast Lead, the IDF imposed a ban on all fishing outside a three nautical mile limit as part of its blockade on the Hamas-controlled region.
The Times of Israel Community.