A Palestinian fisherman on Wednesday evening was reported missing after the Israeli navy sank fishermen boats off the northern shores of the Gaza Strip.

According to the Palestinian Information Center (PIC), a fishing boat sank during the attack on Gaza fishermen. The fisherman who was aboard disappeared from sight.

The incident happened when an Israeli gunboat swamped the boat using a water cannon. There is still no information about what happened to the fisherman.

As this boat was sinking, Israeli naval troops attacked other fishermen and their boats by firing flares and live ammunition at them off the shores of al-Sudaniya and al-Waha areas and forced them to return ashore.

Local sources affirmed that the fishermen were working within the permitted fishing zone, describing the attack as unjustified.

Israeli gunboats are around Gaza fishermen every day, harassing them, shooting at them, damaging their boats, and making arrests. Sometimes fishermen are injured or killed during gunfire attacks.

Under the 1993 Oslo accords, Palestinian fishermen are permitted to fish up to 20 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza. Over the past 18 years, however, Israel has reduced the fishing area gradually to a limit of three nautical miles as part of its blockade on Gaza.

But fishermen and human rights groups say that, since the 2008-09 war in Gaza, the Israeli army regularly enforces a limit even closer to the shore.

Source:PNN