The Gaza health ministry said Friday night an Egyptian navy opened fire on a Palestinian fishing boat off the southern border near the city of Rafah. The Egyptian officials did not comment, nor was it possible to confirm whether the vessel was trying to cross the Egyptian waters. The Egyptian naval forces had previously opened fire on the inhabitants of Gaza accused of crossing the maritime border, capturing the catch from Egyptian territory to evade the restrictions imposed by the Israeli blockade of the enclave, which Israel maintains due to problems safety. This is a limited fishing zone which, according to the Gaza fishermen, is not big enough to satisfy the demand of the 2 million people on the coast. Gaza is run by the Islamist group Hamas, which fought three wars with Israel and is designated as a terrorist group by Western countries and Israel. Israel withdrew troops and settlers from the territory in 2005, but remains the channel for the passage of goods and supplies most of its electricity. Israel and Egypt, citing security concerns, maintain severe restrictions on the passage of Palestinians across their boundaries with the enclave.
