Two Palestinian fishermen wounded by Israeli fire in Gaza

Two Palestinians were wounded after Israeli forces fired rubber-coated metal rounds at fishermen in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, local sources said.

Israel's navy shot at the fishermen who were sailing on the besieged enclave's northern coast, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa cited the sources as saying.

The wounded were taken to hospital.

The fishermen had to abandon their work and head back to land to ensure they weren't hit by the shooting.

It's not the first time fishermen in Gaza have been shot at or otherwise targeted by Israel.

While fishing is an integral part of the enclave's economy, Israel has placed tight restrictions on the industry.

As part of its siege of Gaza, which began in 2007 after Hamas came to rule the strip, Israel limits the areas in which Palestinian fishing boats can operate.

Rights groups have slammed the blockade as a form of illegal collective punishment.