Following the firing of a rocket by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization late Monday night, Israel has temporarily scaled back the authorized Gaza fishing zone from 15 nautical miles to six.
The Israel Defense Forces reported that the rocket, launched from the al-Attra neighborhood of Beit Lahiya in the Gaza Strip, landed in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Israel, and accused Palestinian Islamic Jihad of firing it with the aim of derailing ceasefire efforts between Israel and Hamas.
The IDF noted the attack took place just before the period that includes Israel’s Memorial Day and Independence Day, and the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Israel and Hamas entered into an unofficial ceasefire agreement last month, according to which Hamas would scale back violence on the Gaza border in exchange for economic and humanitarian benefits, including the Gaza fishing zone being expanded to 15 nautical miles.
Last week, a rocket from Gaza landed in an open field in Gaza, having not managed to reach Israeli territory.
On Saturday, Israeli troops fired at three Palestinian men attempting to breach the border fence in the northern Gaza Strip. Incendiary balloons were also launched from Gaza that day, sparking a fire at the Besor River nature reserve in southern Israel.
On Friday, about 7,000 Gazans took part in rioting along the Gaza border, hurling rocks and explosives at IDF troops.
