An Egyptian navy vessels attacked seven Palestinian fishermen who were simply working off the Rafah coast. Five fishermen were arrested, two were shot in the hands. Aditionally, the Egyptian perpetrators confiscated the Palestinian boats.
Ibrahim Abdullah al-Najjar, 19, and Ismail Wael al-Bardawil, 21, shot and then taken to Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah for treatment. Shooting fishermen in the hands is a tactic initially used by the Israeli Navy, because it prevents them from ever being able to return to work.
After the Egyptian army overthrew President Mohamed Morsi, Palestinians were warned that any person to cross in Egypts territorial waters will be arrested. Many fishermen are deep troubled Egypt’s move. It resembles the attacks on them by the Israeli navy, they said.
A spokesman for the Interior Ministry of the Palestinian government in Gaza, Ihab Ghussein, said that he has asked for a formal explanation from Egypt about the attack on the unarmed fishermen. Palestinian fishers in Gaza are being blockaded by both Israel and Egypt.
Palestine News Network 2003 – 2012