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by Sarah Snobar - IMEMC & agencies

The Israeli Navy abducted, on Wednesday, four Palestinian fishermen in Palestinian territorial waters off the coast of Beit Lahia town, in the Gaza Strip.

The Maan News Agency reported that the four fishermen were forced off their boats after being surrounded by Israeli gunships, and were moved to an unknown destination.

Nour al-Sultan, 49 years old, and his brother, Hassan, 39, were on one boat and Jihan Sultan, 38, and his brother, Zaher, 22, were on another.

Palestinian fishermen in Gaza are regularly and frequently attacked by the Israeli military. Boats are confiscated, and fishermen are limited to fishing within three nautical miles of the coast or even less, contrary to the Oslo Accords.

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GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- Israeli forces detained four Palestinian fishermen off the coast of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning, witnesses said.

Israeli warships surrounded two fishing boats off Beit Lahiya, in northern Gaza, forcing the fishermen off the vessels and taking them to an unknown destination, a Ma'an correspondent said.

The fishermen were identified as Nour al-Sultan, 49 and his brother Hasan 39, as well as Jihad al-Sultan, 38 and his brother Zahir, 22.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said a Palestinian fishing boat "deviated from the designated fishing area," and failed to respond to calls to return, prompting forces to detain its crew.

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators agreed on a 20-nautical-mile fishing zone off Gaza's coast under the Oslo Accords, but Israel unilaterally imposes a 3-mile limit. Israeli warships frequently open fire at boats that allegedly stray from the permitted area.

Fishermen say the limits have destroyed their livelihood and that it is impossible to trawl a large catch within the designated area.

Israel has controlled Gaza waters since its occupation of the area in 1967, and has kept several warships stationed off the coast since 2008.