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by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Saturday June 1 2013, A number of Israeli Navy boats fired rounds of live ammunition at Palestinian fishing boats in Palestinian territorial waters in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

Eyewitnesses have reported that the soldiers fired bursts of live ammunition and the fishing boats near the coasts of As-Sudaniya and Beit Lahia. The Israeli attack led to property damage but no casualties.

Palestinian fishermen face constant attacks by the Israeli navy despite the fact that they fish in Palestinian waters.

They are only allowed to fish within three nautical miles off the Gaza shore due to illegal Israeli restrictions imposed as part of the Israeli siege on Gaza that was enforced starting in 2006.

Yet, the fishermen and their boats are constantly attacked within those three miles; dozens of casualties have been reported.

As part of the ceasefire agreement of November 2012, Israel agreed to allow the Palestinians to fish within six nautical miles of the shore, but unilaterally decreased the allotted area to three miles.

Under the Oslo accords in the mid-nineties, the Palestinians are allowed to fish in 20 nautical miles off the Gaza shore. In 2008, Israel unilaterally reduced the fishing area to only three nautical miles.

Approximately 10 days ago, Israel decided to allow Palestinian fishermen to fish within six nautical miles of the Gaza shore, but the Israeli Navy continued to attack them even within the three nautical miles.