The Israeli occupation army announced Wednesday reducing the fishing zone in Gaza waters to a maximum of 10 nautical miles from the previously set 15 miles , claiming the measure was in response to the launch of balloons fitted with firebombs toward Israeli settlement areas.
The move came just days after the Israeli army restored the fishing limit to the 15 nautical mile maximum after a previous cut in response to fire balloons last week.
The previous Israeli decision to increase the fishing area was a first step in implementing a fragile truce meant to avert a new conflict between Israel and Palestinian resistance factions.
Under the Oslo Accords signed in 1993, Israel is obligated to permit fishing up to 20 nautical miles, but this has never been implemented.
In practice, Israel only allowed fishing up to 12 nautical miles until 2006, when the fishing zone was reduced to six and later to three.
Israel maintains a heavy naval blockade on Gaza, restricting any traffic in and out of the enclave as well as the distance Gazan fishermen can travel to fish, severely affecting the livelihoods of some 4,000 fishermen and at least 1,500 more people involved in the fishing industry.
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