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Israeli forces detain 11 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip

12:00 Feb 29 2016 Gaza's territorial waters off al-Sudaniya

Israeli forces detain 11 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip
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GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces detained at least 11 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip over the course of 24 hours, local officials and Hebrew media said on Monday.

The head of Gaza's Fishermens' Union Nizar Abu Ayyash said Israeli naval forces detained nine Palestinian fishermen, seizing two fishing vessels near the al-Sudaniya coast on Monday.

Ayyash said Israeli forces opened fire on the fishermen, before approaching the vessel and detaining the nine men.

The detainees were identified as Majed Fadel Bakri, Fadi Majed Baker, Omran Majed Baker, Muhammad Ziyad Baker, Fadi Suhain Baker, Khamis Suhail Baker, Yusri al-Akhsham and Muhammad Nizar Baker.

On Sunday, Israeli forces also detained two other Palestinians from the besieged enclave after they were allegedly caught trying to cross into Israel, Hebrew media reported.

The reports said the two men were unarmed and that Israeli intelligence believed they were entering Israel to find work.

As part of a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in the summer of 2014, Israel agreed to expand the fishing zone off of Gaza's coast, allowing fishermen to sail as far as six nautical miles from shore, and to continue to expand the area gradually.

Despite this agreement, the head of Hemaya Center for Human Rights, Omar Qarut, told Ma'an that the Israeli navy had opened fire on Palestinian fishermen within the agreed upon fishing zone on at least 159 occasions in 2015.

At least three fishermen were killed by Israeli forces last year while working off of the Gaza coast, which has been under naval blockade by Israeli forces since 2007.

Seventy fishermen were detained by Israeli forces last year, including seven children, and 26 boats were confiscated, according to Qarut.

Residents of the besieged Gaza Strip rely heavily on donor aid for their survival, but in recent years, many donors have fallen far short of their pledges, exasperating the livelihoods of millions.

In September last year, the World Bank said that only a third of donor aid pledged to Gaza in the aftermath of 2014's devastating war had been dispersed -- $881 million less than was promised.

The UN has warned that unless current trends are altered, Gaza could become uninhabitable for residents in just four years.

"The social, health and security-related ramifications of the high population density and overcrowding are among the factors that may render Gaza unlivable by 2020," the UN's development agency said.
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