© AFPPalestinian fishermen fix nets on a boat as they start fishing off the coast of the Gaza Strip. Despite the signed agreements between Palestinians and Israel, which allow fishermen to go 12 nautical miles inside the Mediterranean Sea, Israeli navy targets Gaza fishermen almost daily and does not allow them to go further than three nautical miles, which the fishermen say is not enough to catch fish.
"In the light of the continued fires and arson balloons from the Gaza Strip toward Israel tonight, we have decided to introduce a maritime blockade on the Gaza Strip until further notice," Adraee wrote on Twitter late on Wednesday.
Late in May, the IDF said it expanded the Gaza fishing zone back to 15 nautical miles from the restriction of 10 nautical miles imposed in the wake of the recent escalation of tensions in the area. Israel has explained that its move was aimed at preventing the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the enclave. However, Israeli media reported on Wednesday, about at least six fires caused by incendiary balloons, launched by Palestinians, in the south of Israel. Moreover, a bomb attached to a balloon reportedly exploded over an Israeli town.
The situation on the Gaza-Israeli border escalated in May when the sides engaged in deadly clashes. Though the tensions have been settled, the long-term conflict between Israeli and Palestinians remains unresolved for decades.
Comment: Were the balloons launched from fishing vessels? No. The choice of the IDF to block access to the water is simply collective punishment. Some individuals reportedly launched some 'arson balloons', and so the entire Gaza Strip gets punished. That's how Israel metes out justice.