Palestinian fisherman dies of wounds in Gaza

Palestinian fisherman succumbed to his wounds on Saturday after being shot off Gaza shore a day earlier, according to the Health Ministry.

“The fisherman, 33, died after he was shot south of Gaza on Friday,” Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told reporters. In a statement, the Palestinian Interior Ministry said the fisherman had been shot by Egyptian army forces.

“One of the Palestinian fishing boats came under direct fire from the Egyptian army late Friday near the Palestinian-Egyptian naval border, leaving a fisherman martyred,” the Ministry said.

Initial investigations showed that the fishing boat had not crossed into Egyptian water, the Ministry said, going on to call on the Egyptian authorities to launch an investigation into the incident.

Nezar Ayyash, the head of Gaza fishermen union, earlier said the fisherman had been shot by gunfire from the Egyptian border.

There was no comment from Egyptian authorities on the claim.