By Xinhua,
Gaza : Israeli marine vessels opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats on the sea off northwest Gaza Strip early Sunday, violating a fragile ceasefire, security sources said.
The shootings, in which shells and gunshots were used, lasted for 10 minutes in the first round and about seven minutes in the second, the sources said. No casualties were reported, but some boats were damaged, he added.
On June 19, an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire took effect between Palestinian militant groups led by Hamas and Israel to halt cross-border attacks and ease the blockade that Israel imposed on Gaza when Hamas took over the territory by force last year.
On Saturday, the armed wing of Hamas threatened to withdraw from the ceasefire and to resume attacks against Israel to overcome the Gaza siege.
The Ezz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades published a statement on its website saying that “the occupation still delays the implementation of the lull’s obligations and if these violations continued, we will look for a new stance regarding the lull.”
Hamas said Israel did not properly lift the embargo on Gaza despite the suspension of Palestinian rocket attacks.
Meanwhile, Israel arrested two Palestinians on Sunday in the West Bank which stays out of the current stage of the ceasefire deal. Israeli sources said the “wanted Palestinians” were arrested in Nablus and Hebron and were taken for interrogation.