GAZA CITY, Palestine 

Egyptian naval forces have detained four Palestinian fishermen off the coast of the blockaded Gaza Strip, a local official said Tuesday.

“Egyptian naval vessels crossed the Palestinian maritime border off the coast near the southern city of Rafah and detained four fishermen from two fishing boats,” Nizar Ayyash, head of Gaza's fishermen’s union, told Anadolu Agency.

Reasons for the move remain unknown, Ayyash said.

Egyptian authorities, for their part, have yet to confirm the alleged incident.

According to the fishermen’s union, roughly 50,000 Gazans earn their living through fishing. 

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat