SOUTH SINAI: Israeli troops have raided east of Qarara in southern Gaza, reports the Palestinian Information Center. Locals said that the Israeli forces also raided the area east of Khan Younis before turning north and moving towards Deir Al-Balah. No injuries or arrests have been reported. Israel has been routinely violating the ceasefire agreement reached after hostilities between itself and Hamas in November 2012. Mere days after the ceasefire, Palestinians were already claiming that Israel had violated its end of the bargain. Israeli forces have repeatedly fired on civilians, particularly farmers and manual laborers, near the Gaza-Israel border. In other instances, tanks have breached the narrow coastal enclave, and fishermen have been attacked or arrested by Israel's navy. According to a recent Al-Jazeera infographic, 4 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military since the ceasefire went into effect, and another 91 were injured. There have been 63 shooting attacks, 13 army incursions, and 30 naval attacks on Gazan fishermen. Several hundred fishermen demonstrated this past Sunday, March 3rd, off the coast of Gaza. A flotilla of more than 50 boats sailed from the port of Gaza to Beit Lahia and back to protest Israel's seizure of 36 boats. The seizures and attacks come after the fisherman venture past the three nautical miles off the coast of Gaza allotted them by the Israelis. The new ceasefire agreement set the boundaries at six nautical miles but Israel continues to attack those who go past three. Under the Oslo Accords, the fishermen of Gaza were allowed 20 nautical miles. BN
