Israel has issued a strong warning to Hamas, stating that it will increase strikes on Gaza if the launches of kites, drones, and balloons from the territory do not cease immediately. This warning comes amidst growing concern in Israel over the reappearance of these objects, particularly kites, near communities on the border with Gaza. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated on Monday that "Forceful actions will be taken to put an end to this phenomenon," while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Katz released a joint statement after a security assessment on Sunday, threatening to step up targeted operations and evacuate populations from launch areas.
Over the past few days, several kites have been found in Israeli communities such as Kibbutz Nahal Oz and Kibbutz Kfar Aza, near the Gaza border. While Hamas denied responsibility, saying the kites were launched by "children searching for their innocent childhood amid the rubble," Israeli military sources believe Hamas is behind the launches, possibly to test Israel's response. Authorities believe children and teenagers, acting under instructions from Hamas commanders, launched the kites. Notably, these kites did not carry incendiary devices or explosives, though some had messages in Arabic, including one that read, "We will never calm down," which Israeli officials interpreted as psychological terror.
The Israeli warnings and subsequent actions have already led to military strikes. On Monday, the IDF carried out strikes in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza, targeting Hamas infrastructure and weapons storage facilities. Prior to these strikes, evacuation warnings were issued to sites including an elementary school and a medical center. On Sunday, two Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza killed at least two people, including a four-year-old boy named Mohammad Abdel-Salam Taha, and wounded seven others. Palestinian health officials reported that one strike hit a building in Zawayda town, following an Israeli army warning for residents to leave the area.
This resurgence of kite launches has revived memories for residents of southern Israel of pre-war periods when incendiary kites and balloons caused widespread fires in agricultural fields and nature reserves. Critics, including Palestinian analysts and experts, accuse Israel of using the kite incidents as a pretext to escalate attacks, derail ceasefire agreements, and achieve political goals, especially given the upcoming October elections and Netanyahu's political standing. Hussam Shaheen, a Palestinian political analyst, called it inconceivable that a state with a nuclear arsenal would consider a paper kite a security threat, suggesting it's an excuse to avoid political commitments.
