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GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- The Israeli navy on Saturday stopped 13 Palestinian fishermen and detained them off the coast, a Gaza official said.

Mahfouth Kabariti, who heads the a Gaza-based Palestinian association of fishing and sea sports, said Israeli naval ships attacked three fishing boats and detained a number of fishermen.

He said the boats belonged to the Bakr family.

Kabariti asserted that the boats were within the range of six nautical miles that Israel is said to have agreed on in the Egypt-brokered ceasefire last Wednesday.

An Israeli army spokeswoman told Ma'an that three boats had "deviated from the official designated fishing area."

"Navy forces acted in accordance with the rules of engagement and called on the boats to return to the designated area," she told Ma'an. "When they failed to comply, they were taken to Ashdod port and transferred into the custody of the security forces," she said.

Last week, the Israeli navy detained over 20 fishermen who were later released.