Israel arrests two Palestinian fishermen in Gaza, breaching truce

Israeli navy forces have arrested two Palestinian fishermen near the Waha area off the coast of Beit Lahiya, according to the head of the fishermen syndicate in Gaza.

Al-Amat Online news website quoted Niazar Ayyash as saying that by arresting the two fishermen, Israel was committing the first breach of the truce agreement which was recently signed in Cairo between the Palestinian factions and Israel.

The truce ended a 51-day military assault against the Palestinians in Gaza.

Ayyash noted that an Israeli military boat intercepted a small fishing boat at a distance of less than two nautical miles off the Sudaniya coast at Beit Lahiya in the north of the Gaza Strip.

Israel has not officially commented on the issue.

“The Israeli boat opened fire on the fishermen and deliberately dragged them toward the Ashdod Port, where they arrested two of them,” Ayyash added.

The two arrested fishermen are reported to be Mohammed Zayid and Moussa Al-Sultan.