Ramallah, October 16 (RHC)-- Israeli soldiers have wounded dozens of Palestinians who held a protest rally along the northern coast of the besieged Gaza Strip in a bid to break the decade-long blockade on the impoverished sliver.

Hundreds of peaceful protesters had gathered in the area on Monday afternoon while dozens of others participated in a boat protest setting off from the Gaza seaport against the siege, but Israeli navy fired rounds and tear gas canisters at both groups.

According to a brief statement by Gaza Health Ministry, at least 60 people were wounded in the raid near the maritime border with the occupied territories, 24 of whom by live bullets.  In addition, Israeli military boats opened fire on ambulances and medics, who had rushed to help the wounded, other reports said.

The demonstration on Monday was the 12th naval protest, with the participation of 25 fishing boats, against the crippling blockade of the enclave.

In August, the Palestinian Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) announced in a report that Israeli attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip prevent “fishermen from practicing their fishing work and accessing their livelihood resources.”

Israel imposed a limit of three nautical miles on fishing in the waters off the Gaza shore until August 2014, when Palestinian fishermen were allowed to go out six miles.  Back in July, however, Israel reduced the fishing area to only three nautical miles as part of punitive measures against Gazans over the launch of incendiary balloons from the Palestinian coastal sliver into the occupied territories as part of ongoing protests against the decades-long Israeli occupation.

Over the past few years, Israeli troops have carried out over a hundred assaults on Palestinian boats, arresting dozens of fishermen and confiscating several boats.