Israel to expand fishing area for Gaza fishermen from 6 to 9 miles: official

A senior Palestinian official announced on Thursday that Israel decided to expand the allowed fishing area for fishermen in the Gaza Strip from six to nine miles starting from next week.

Nizar Ayyash, chairman of Gaza Fishermen Union, told Xinhua that the Israeli authorities informed the Palestinian side that starting from next week, Gaza Strip fishermen will be allowed to fish in a nine-mile area instead of six miles.

"The union was told that fishermen can go fishing in a nine-mile area with no restrictions," said Ayyash, adding that the fishermen expressed happiness after hearing the Israeli decision.

He went on saying that "the new Israeli measure of relaxing restrictions imposed on fishing in Gaza would help fishermen improve their hard living conditions, adding "we hope that there will be more relaxations of the Israeli siege."

Israel Radio had earlier quoted Israeli official as saying that Israel decided to relax restrictions imposed on fishing in the Gaza Strip to help fishermen during the upcoming season of fishing.

In the Gaza Strip there are 4,000 fishermen using around 700 fishing boats and vessel, where around 70,000 Palestinians make their living out of fishing, according to the union.

Before Israel imposed a blockade in the Gaza Strip in 2007, the allowed area for fishing was 21 miles. However, Israel restricted the fishing area after Hamas movement seized control of the Gaza Strip in the summer of the same year. Endit