Israeli Gunboats Open Fire at Palestinian Fishing Boats; Arrest Two and Confiscate their Boat Western Beit Lahiya

At approximately 7:00 am on Wednesday, 27 July 2016, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats that were in the Gaza sea west of Al Waha Resort near the maritime borders west of Bait Lahiya in the North Gaza district.  The IOF arrested two fishermen were on the board, and confiscated their boat and nets (about six nets). Al Mezan identified them as follows:

• Tareq Abed Al Bari Mohammed Al Sultan, 21; and
• Mohammed Yassin Ali Zayed, 22.

According to Al Mezan's field investigations, fishermen were west of Al Waha area, about 2,000  meters away from northern illuminated buoys collecting their nets when Israeli gunboats opened fire at them. Two Israeli boats surrounded the Palestinian fishing boat and ordered two fishermen on the board to take off their clothes and to swim towards the Israeli boat. Fishermen who were in the area abandoned their work and sailed to land immediately.