From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Gaza group threatens to resume incendiary balloon attacks on Jerusalem Day
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
A Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip, responsible for launching balloons ferrying incendiary and explosive devices into Israel in the past, says it will resume activities tomorrow during Jerusalem Day.
In a statement on its Telegram channel, the so-called balloon unit, Ibna al-Zuwari, says its members will also riot along the Gaza border.
The Hamas-linked Shehab news agency meanwhile reports that a march with Palestinian flags will take place tomorrow near the border, east of Gaza City.
The last time Palestinians launched incendiary balloons into southern Israel, sparking dozens of fires, in September 2021, the Israeli Air Force bombed Hamas sites in response.
The timing of the controversial Jerusalem Day flag march is especially delicate in light of a fresh ceasefire between Israel and the Gaza-based Palestinian Islamic Jihad since early Sunday, ending five days of fighting.
It was unclear if Hamas, which stayed out of the fighting with Islamic Jihad, will give the balloon unit the go-ahead to launch attacks on Israel.
The Times of Israel Community.