GAZA/RAMALLAH, April 2 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian naval forces arrested on Tuesday four Palestinian fishermen and confiscated their fishing boats off the coast close to the maritime border between southern Gaza Strip and Egypt, official said.
Niazzar Ayyash, chairman of Gaza Fishermen Association, told reporters that Egyptian naval gunships surrounded two fishing boats belong to three brothers and their colleague off the coast of Rafah in southern Gaza Strip, close to Egypt.
"The Egyptian naval forces arrested the four fishermen and confiscated their fishing boats," said Ayyash. There has been no official comment to the arrest of the four Gaza fishermen.
Last year, two Palestinian fishermen were shot dead by the gunfire of the Egyptian naval forces. Hamas movement, which rules the Gaza Strip requested from Egypt a clarification to the death of the two.
Israel had on Monday announced that it increased the distance of fishing for Gaza Strip fishermen from 6 nautical miles to 15 miles in the sea of the coastal enclave as part of a calm understanding brokered by Egypt between Hamas and Israel.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority Health Ministry announced on Tuesday that a Palestinian young man was shot dead by Israeli soldiers' gunfire near Qalandia Refugee Camp between Jerusalem and Ramallah.
The Health Ministry said in an emailed press statement that Mohammad Odwan, 23 years old, was killed during clashes on Tuesday morning between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers.
Palestinian security sources said that Odwan was killed during clashes with an Israeli army force that stormed the refugee camp, adding that three other demonstrators were injured by the soldiers' gunfire.
There has been no immediate Israeli army comment to the incident. However, Israel Radio reported that Israeli army security forces arrested 12 Palestinians all over the West Bank, including Hassan Yousef, a senior Hamas leader who lives in Ramallah.
The Radio quoted Israeli security sources as saying that the 12 Palestinians are wanted to Israel security forces for being involved in carrying out violent actions against Israel.
