Israel’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement on the 29th, from now on, the Palestinian Gaza Strip fishing area will be restored to 15 nautical miles from the coastline.
The statement said that after security consultations, from the 29th to reopen fishing areas in the Gaza Strip, the resumption of this policy depends on the situation to maintain security and stability.
From 23 to 26 April, armed elements in the Gaza Strip fired nearly 50 rockets at Israel. In response, the Israeli Ministry of Defense announced on the 26th, from now on, Israel will “completely close” the Fishing Area of the Gaza Strip until further notice. According to Israeli media reports, since the 26th, Israel and Gaza border tensions have eased.
Fisheries are one of the main economic sources for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Under the Oslo Accords signed by the two sides in the 1990s, fishermen in the Gaza Strip can fish within 20 nautical miles of the coastline, but Israel regularly closes or reduces fishing areas in the Gaza Strip for security reasons. In recent years, Israel has generally confined fishing areas in the Gaza Strip to seas 15 nautical miles from the coastline.
After the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) seized de facto control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, Israel imposed a total blockade on the Gaza Strip, strictly controlling the movement of people and goods. The blockade of more than a decade has led to a worsening of the economic situation and socio-livelihood in the Gaza Strip.
