After one week in detention the Israeli occupation army on Wednesday released a Palestinian fisherman and refused to release another.
According to local sources Rajab Abu Rayallah arrived in the evening at Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing north of Gaza following his release.
Abu Rayallah was kidnapped by the Israeli navy a week ago with another fisherman called Khader al-Sa’idi as they were aboard a boat fishing off the coast of Gaza City. Their boat was also confiscated at the time.
Israeli gunboats are around Gaza fishermen every day harassing them shooting at them damaging their boats and making arrests. Sometimes fishermen are injured or killed during gunfire attacks.
Under the 1993 Oslo accords Palestinian fishermen are permitted to fish up to 20 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza. Over the past 18 years however Israel has reduced the fishing area gradually to a limit of three nautical miles as part of its blockade on Gaza.
But fishermen and human rights groups say that since the 2008-09 war in Gaza the Israeli army regularly enforces a limit even closer to the shore.
