Israeli Defence Minister Katz Warns of Forceful Response to Kites and Balloons from Gaza
- Israel has warned Hamas that it will step up strikes on Gaza after kites were found near the border, raising fears of renewed cross-border tensions
- Defence Minister Israel Katz said there would be “zero tolerance” for kites, balloons or drones, even if they carried no explosives
- Hamas denied responsibility, calling the kites “children’s toys” and accusing Israel of using them as a “pretext” for continued attacks
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Israel has issued a warning to Hamas that it will intensify strikes on Gaza after several kites were found near the border, raising concerns about renewed cross-border provocations.
Over the weekend, four kites were discovered in Kibbutz Nahal Oz, located just 800m (2,620ft) from the Gaza border. Local media also reported several more kites appearing in southern Israel last week.
Source: Getty Images
According to BBC, while the Israeli military confirmed that no explosives or suspicious materials were attached, officials believe Hamas may have been testing Israel’s response.
Residents of Nahal Oz expressed alarm, stating: “We will not accept a policy of containment when it comes to our security.”
Israel’s defence minister response
Defence Minister Israel Katz warned of “zero tolerance” towards such incidents. He said: “Forceful actions will be taken to put an end to this phenomenon. A balloon is treated like a kite, and a kite is treated like a drone, with or without explosives.”
Before the war, incendiary kites and balloons caused widespread fires in Israeli farmland and forests.
Hamas denies responsibility
Hamas rejected claims of involvement, insisting the kites were “basically children’s toys from displacement camps.” A spokesman accused Israel of using the issue as a “pretext” for continued air strikes despite the ceasefire agreed in October 2023.
The group warned of “the danger of the allegations and threats,” saying: “These threats are based on fabricated pretexts and are an attempt to justify the continuation of the aggression and violations against our people.”
Recent Israeli strikes in Gaza
On Sunday, Palestinian health officials reported two deaths and seven injuries following Israeli strikes in Nuseirat refugee camp and al-Zawayda. Among the victims was four-year-old Mohammed Taha, killed when a building in al-Zawayda was bombed.
The Israeli military stated it had targeted Ismail Abu Ful, identified as the commander of a Hamas weapons manufacturing site in Maghazi. Officials said residents were warned to evacuate beforehand.
On Monday, Palestinian media reported that Mohammed Abu Asad, a member of Hamas’s elite Nukhba forces, was killed in an overnight strike on a tent in Deir al-Balah. Israel said Abu Asad had taken part in the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
Casualties since October 2023
The war began after Hamas’s cross-border attack, which killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Since then, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reports more than 74,420 deaths from Israeli strikes, including 1,288 fatalities since the ceasefire.
Displaced residents continue to call for peace. Abu Ahmed, sheltering near Maghazi, told Reuters: “There is no ceasefire, there is nothing. We want solutions, we want to live in peace.”
Source: Getty Images
Gaza families search for over 8,000 missing
Legit.ng earlier reported that Families across Gaza are living with the anguish of not knowing whether missing relatives are dead or detained, as the number of unaccounted-for people surpasses 8,000, according to Gaza's Civil Defence agency.
Source: Legit.ng
