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Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
World
Asharq Al-Awsat

Israel Restores Gaza Fishing Limit, Aid Imports

Palestinian fishermen clean a net after a night fishing trip, in the Gaza seaport, April 3, 2019. (AP)

Israel said it had restored the fishing zone off Gaza Friday and would allow resumed imports for international aid projects after a return to calm around the territory.

The fishing zone and imports are routinely used by Israel to punish or reward Gaza's Hamas for the security situation, said AFP.

"In light of the security situation... the Gaza Strip fishing zone will be extended from Friday from six to 12 nautical miles," the Israeli military body responsible for civil affairs in the occupied Palestinian territories, COGAT, said.

"From Sunday, the importation of equipment and goods for projects of the international community in Gaza will be allowed," it added.

"These new measures are conditional on the continuation of the stable security situation in the region."

Israel imposed the restrictions last Sunday in response to several fires in border areas caused by incendiary balloons launched from Gaza. It also carried out two air strikes, Palestinian sources said.

A fragile truce has largely held since 11 days of deadly conflict between Israel and Hamas in May.

Israel, which has imposed a blockade on Gaza for more than a decade, had set the fishing zone for the coastal enclave at 20 nautical miles following the Oslo peace accords in the 1990s.

But over the years Israel has reduced its size depending on tensions with Hamas.

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