Navy Fired Warning Shots at Gaza Boat Nearing Prohibited Waters

Hamas accused Israel of breaking the ceasefire Tuesday morning by firing on Gaza, but the IDF said the gunfire was a warning to a boat that was crossing the permitted area of three nautical miles from shore.

“The warning shots were in the air, over the boat, and it then turned around and headed towards shore,” an IDF spokeswoman told The Jewish Press.

The incident reportedly took place off the southern Gaza coast, near Rafah (Rafiah).

The Gaza fisherman’s union accused Israel of having broken the ceasefire, claiming that the boat was within the “authorized fishing zone."

The IDF said to could not determine if the boat was manned by fishermen.

Israel has placed a maritime embargo, determined by the United Nations as being legal, to prevent the smuggling of explosives, terrorists and weapons.