Israel has issued a strong warning to Hamas regarding the renewed launch of kites, drones, and balloons from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli communities. Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that "forceful actions will be taken to put an end to this phenomenon," emphasizing a "zero tolerance" policy where any aerial object, regardless of whether it carries explosives, will be treated as a threat. This stance comes after several kites, none containing incendiary devices, were found in communities near the Gaza border, including Kibbutz Nahal Oz and Kfar Aza, with Israeli media reporting around 10 such finds in recent days.
The Israeli government, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz, convened a security assessment to address the issue. They warned that if the launches do not cease immediately, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will escalate targeted operations against those responsible and may evacuate populations from areas where these launches originate. Netanyahu stressed that Israel would "not return to the reality that existed before October 7" and would not allow Hamas or any other group to threaten Israeli settlements or undermine citizens' security. The incidents have revived concerns among residents of southern Israel about incendiary kites and balloons that caused widespread fires in previous years.
Hamas has denied responsibility for the recent launches, asserting that the kites were launched by "children searching for their innocent childhood amid the rubble" and are merely "children's toys from displacement camps." The group accused Israel of using the kite incidents as a "pretext" for continued airstrikes in Gaza despite an October 2025 ceasefire. Despite Hamas's denial, Israeli military sources reportedly believe Hamas is behind the launches, potentially as a test of Israel's response.
In response to the perceived threat, Israel has already conducted airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. On Sunday, two people, including a 4-year-old boy, were killed and seven injured in two Israeli strikes in the Nuseirat refugee camp and al-Zawayda. On Monday, the IDF carried out further strikes in the Shati refugee camp, targeting Hamas infrastructure and weapons-storage facilities. These strikes followed evacuation warnings to several sites, including a UNRWA school, a Doctors Without Borders medical center, and an International Rescue Committee compound. Palestinians reported that a mosque and a water desalination facility were among the sites hit.
The reappearance of these aerial objects has caused significant concern among Israeli border communities, many of which were affected by the October 7, 2023 attacks. Residents of Nahal Oz expressed fear of a return to incendiary devices and stated they would not accept a "policy of containment when it comes to our security." The Israeli military believes that while children and teenagers are launching the kites, they are doing so under instructions from Hamas commanders, with some kites even carrying messages like, "We will never calm down," interpreted by Israeli officials as psychological terror.
