Israel to temporarily extend Gaza fishing area
Applicable to Strip's southern half, expansion will allow boats to ply waters up to 9 nautical miles off coast instead of 6
Israeli officials have announced they will temporarily expand the fishing area for Palestinians off a sector of the blockaded Gaza Strip.
From Wednesday, fishermen in southern Gaza will be able to travel up to nine nautical miles out to sea in search of hauls, up from six previously, an Israeli statement said Sunday.
The six-week expansion will “improve the economy in the Gaza Strip,” said the statement from the Israeli Defense Ministry unit COGAT.
Fishing limits off the northern part of Gaza will remain unchanged at six miles.
Similar measures were introduced in May.
The size of the fishing zone has varied over the years, having been set at 20 nautical miles by the Oslo Accords of the 1990s before being reduced by Israeli authorities.
Israel and Palestinian terrorists in Hamas-run Gaza have fought three wars since 2008 and the Strip has been under an Israeli blockade for 10 years to keep Hamas from importing weapons or materials used to make them.
Nizar Ayesh, head of the Palestinian fishing union, told AFP it has not yet been informed of the latest decision. He said he hoped the recent reconciliation between Palestinian factions would pressure Israel to further loosen its restrictions.
Around 4,000 fishermen work in Gaza, more than half of whom live below the poverty line.
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