Israel creates artificial limit to tighten sea blockade

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In a new and potentially life-threatening attempt to impose a unilateral limit for Gaza’s fishermen, Israel has placed a series of buoys off the coast of Gaza. The move not only seeks to enforce the maritime blockade of the besieged territory but also increases the restrictions on Gaza’s fishing fleet.

The marker buoys have been positioned three miles out to sea from Bayt Hanun in the north of the Gaza Strip to Rafah in the south.

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The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in Gaza City called this move by the Israeli occupation authorities an attempt to increase the pressure on local fishermen. It will, said a ministry spokesman, also provide an excuse for the Israeli gunboats which patrol inside Gaza’s legally-defined territorial waters to shoot at the crews when the fishing boats go beyond this artificial limit set by the occupying power.

The Ministry condemned the action and called upon international institutions to support the Palestinian fishermen and end the siege. At the same time, the spokesman demanded that the Israeli s should release all fishermen from detention, along with their possessions.

MEMO Photographer: Mohammed Asad