Days of Palestine, Gaza Strip –Egyptian naval forces seized Palestinian fishing boats, arrested nine fishermen off Gaza coast on Friday.
Security sources said that the Egyptian naval forces chased a Palestinian fishing boat of the southern coast of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at it and led it to the Egyptian waters.
Head of the Palestinian Syndication of Gaza fishermen Nizar Ayyash told Days of Palestine that there were nine fishermen from Gaza on board of the captured fishing boat.
An Egyptian military source confirmed that nine Palestinians had been arrested, but said their arrest came after entering into the Egyptian waters.
“The Egyptian naval forces spotted the boat leaving Gaza and entering into the Egyptian waters,” the Egyptian military source said. “The Egyptian forces immediately took action, captured the boat and arrested the people on board of it.”
According to the source, the Palestinians were on board were taken to investigation offices in order to know the reason behind their entry to the Egyptian waters.
However, Ayyash and the Palestinian security sources stressed that the Palestinian fishermen were chased and arrested in the Palestinian waters. Ayyash reported eyewitnesses to Days of Palestine reiterating that the fishermen did not leave the Gaza waters.
Egyptian harassment against Palestinian fishermen is part of the Egyptian policy to tighten the siege on Gaza. Since the military coup, tens of similar incidents took place.
Last year, an Egyptian court sentenced eight Palestinian fishermen to several terms. Five fishermen have been recently released and three others are still remaining in Egyptian jails.
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