Palestinian fisherman killed by Israeli navy off the coast of Gaza

A Palestinian fisherman, Tawfiq Abu Riyalah, has died Saturday noon due to injuries he sustained since the early morning hours at the hands of Israeli navy forces that opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats in Gaza sea.

The spokesman of the Ministry of Health Ashraf al-Qudrah told the PIC reporter that the Palestinian fisherman Abu Riyalah, 32, died in Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza affected by wounds in the abdomen suffered in the Israeli navy attack on Gazan fishermen at dawn Saturday.

Qudrah said a number of the wounded arrived at the hospital with cases ranging between minor and moderate.

At dawn Saturday, the Israeli navy boats fired machineguns at Palestinian fishing boats. The Israeli attack resulted in the death of Abu Riyalah and the injury and arrest of others whereas one boat was confiscated.

The Gazan fishing boats are almost daily subjected to harassment by the Israeli navy boats deployed off the Gaza coast. As a result, many casualties are suffered in addition to the confiscation of boats and fishing tools.