The Zionist naval forces on Wednesday opened fire on several Palestinian fishing boats off the coast of the Gaza Strip, injuring two fishermen and detaining four others.

The Zionist naval forces on Wednesday opened fire on several Palestinian fishing boats off the coast of the Gaza Strip, injuring two fishermen and detaining four others, head of the Gaza fishermen's union said Thursday.

"Israeli gunboats opened fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the western coast of Gaza, leaving two fishermen suffering moderate injuries," union head Nizar Ayyash told.

Four other fishermen were detained by occupation forces who took them to the naval port of Ashdod, according to Ayyash.

He added that the Zionist troops said the boats had gone beyond the six nautical miles from the coast allowed by the Zionist navy.

The occupation army has yet to comment on the fishermen's assertions.

The Zionist navy routinely opens fire on Palestinian fishing boats on the pretext that they are fishing in unauthorized waters.

Last summer, occupation forces allowed Palestinian fishermen to ply their trade up to six nautical miles off the Gaza coast – as opposed to three miles previously.