Egyptian naval forces fired on a Palestinian fishing boat and killed a fisherman on Wednesday, Gaza's Interior Ministry said, but an Egyptian military source denied the report.
Egypt's navy has in the past shot at Gazans whom it has accused of crossing the maritime border. There was no initial information on whether the fishing boat had crossed into Egyptian waters.
Wednesday's incident took place off the coast after dark near the southern border town of Rafah, said Gaza's Interior Ministry, which is run by officials loyal to Hamas.
"Egyptian naval vessels fired toward a Palestinian fishing boat near the southern sea border of Gaza Strip which led to the death of Mustafa Abu Odah, 30," the ministry statement said.
In Cairo, an Egyptian military source denied the report, without elaborating.
Israel maintains a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip and sets varying limits on fishing there, which currently extends to a maximum of nine nautical miles.
Egypt has been trying to broker a long-term cease-fire between Hamas, the terrorist group that rules Gaza, and Israel and is also trying to calm months of riots on the Gaza-Israel border.
Cairo has also been trying to negotiate a reconciliation agreement between Hamas and the rival Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which controls the West Bank.
