Early Wednesday morning, an Israeli naval vessel fired upon two alleged smuggling boats speeding from Gaza to Egypt.
According to the IDF, the vessels were leaving the Gaza Strip, heading back towards Egypt, when the Navy intercepted them. After the boats strayed from Gaza into restricted water, the navy immediately requested that the vessels stop.
The navy opened fire on the boats once it became apparent that they would not stop. The IDF confirmed that the vessels were hit but did not confirm any casualties.
The IDF has a continuous presence off the coast of the Gaza Strip as part of efforts to prevent smuggling into Gaza. Since 2007, Israel has upheld a naval blockade on the Gaza Strip since Hamas took power.
Four people aboard the boats were injured. According to the Palestinian Ma’an news agency, the injured were taken to a hospital in Rafah. The report indicated that the injured were Gazan fishermen.
The navy escorted the boats back towards Gaza where they were fired upon by gunmen waiting on the shore. Soldiers aboard the naval vessel returned fire. No Israeli injuries were reported.
