Tel Aviv – Israel has eased restrictions on the Gaza Strip’s fishing zone, a reward for a period of relative calm, once again expanding the area to 15 nautical miles (some 28 kilometres) on Wednesday.
“Some 2,000 entry permits would also be provided to Gaza residents,’’ said Israel’s chief liaison office with the Palestinians.
It added that the decision would be in place as long as peace was maintained on the ground and underscored the Israeli position that the Islamist Hamas movement in charge of the enclave is responsible for any projectiles or incendiary balloons sent over from Gaza.
Earlier this month, Israel announced that it was shrinking the fishing zone to 10 nautical miles in response to ongoing rocket and incendiary balloon attacks by militant Palestinians in the enclave.
Report says the fishing industry is an important part of Gaza’s economy.
The conflict between militant Palestinians in Gaza and Israel has eased in recent days.
According to Israeli media reports, Israel and Hamas are actively bolstering their efforts at reaching a ceasefire.
However, the Israeli army said that its soldiers had targeted snipers from the more fundamentalist Islamic Jihad terrorist group in Gaza in response to shots fired.
However, no deaths were reported.
Israel tightened a blockade on the coastal area over a decade ago, a policy that has also been supported by Egypt.
Both cite security concerns as justification for the blockade, which affects some 2 million people living under difficult conditions in Gaza.
(dpa/NAN)
