The incident was a rare confrontation since a June 19 truce brokered by Egypt has largely calmed violence between Israel and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

An Israeli military spokesman said navymen stopped three fishing boats early on Friday after they floated beyond Gaza's territorial waters toward Israel, and that the fishermen on board were "taken for questioning in Israel."

Hamas security officials said four fishermen were arrested, aged 18, 39, 55 and 60, and that three were members of the same family.


Agencies