Israel arrests 4 Palestinian fishermen off Gaza coast

Israeli naval forces detained four Palestinian fishermen off the coast of the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday, according to a local official.

“Fishermen were arrested aboard their boat after they came under fire,” Nizar Ayyash, the head of the Palestinian Fishermen’s Syndicate, told Anadolu Agency.

He said the fishing boat was taken by Israeli forces to the Port of Ashdod in southern Israel.

It remains unclear why the fishermen were arrested.

There was no comment from the Israeli military on the report.

About 4,000 Palestinians work in the fishing sector in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture.

Palestinian fishermen complain of multiple Israeli violations, including attempting to sink Palestinian boats in the sea, firing at them, as well as narrowing the fishing area for long periods.