Israel shuts down Gaza fisheries following three straight nights of rockets from the Strip

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – After three consecutive nights of rockets firing from Gaza into southern Israel, and five rockets overnight, Israel shut down the Gaza fishing zone Monday, the Times of Israel reports. Israeli journalists have noted that airstrikes are normally conducted in retaliation for Gaza rockets, and that the closure of fisheries appears to be Israel’s only response in this round of the ongoing conflict.

Fishing is an important source of income for the impoverished, isolated Gaza Strip that is controlled by Hamas, an Islamic group committed to “destroy the Israeli occupation of Palestine.” Israel has previously used restrictions on fishing rights to pressure Hamas to cease its attacks against Israelis.

Sunday night’s rockets launch began at 10.45pm, hitting an open field without triggering sirens in residential areas, ToI said. A second missile failed to reach Israel, and landed inside Gaza. After these two rockets were fired, Israel’s military liaison to the Palestinians – the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) – announced the Gaza fishing zone would be restricted from 15 miles to nine nautical miles in response.

Then, around 3am Monday morning, three missiles were fired toward the southern town of Sderot, triggering sirens. Two rockets were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome defense system and a third landed inside Gaza. Four people, including a pregnant woman were wounded after falling while running to bomb shelters during this barrage, ToI said. At this point, Israel closed off the Gaza fishing zone entirely.

In a statement about the decision COGAT said: “This is because of the continued rocket fire from the Gaza Strip at Israeli territory during the night. Hamas bears responsibility for everything that happens in or originates from the Gaza Strip against Israel, and it will bear the consequences for the violence directed against Israeli citizens.”

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