The Israeli occupation army announced Wednesday it reduced the fishing zone in Gaza waters to a maximum of 10 nautical miles from 15 claiming the measure was in response to renewed incendiary balloon attacks.
Recently the Israeli army increased the permitted fishing zone off the Gaza coast to 15 nautical miles but it backtracked on the step several times after balloons fitted with firebombs allegedly landed in Israeli areas.
The Israeli decision to increase the fishing area was a first step in implementing a fragile truce meant to avert a new conflict between Israel and Palestinian resistance factions.
Under the Oslo Accords signed in 1993 Israel is obligated to permit fishing up to 20 nautical miles but this has never been implemented.
In practice Israel only allowed fishing up to 12 nautical miles until 2006 when the fishing zone was reduced to six and later to three.
Israel maintains a heavy naval blockade on Gaza restricting any traffic in and out of the enclave as well as the distance Gazan fishermen can travel to fish severely affecting the livelihoods of some 4000 fishermen and at least 1500 more people involved in the fishing industry.
