Defense Minister Israel Katz threatens Hamas with an immediate response to any launching of kites or balloons from the Strip at Gaza border communities.
“From our perspective, every launch is an act of terrorism in every respect — and we will treat it as such,” he says in a statement.
After an increase in such incidents last week, in recent days there have not been any reported launches of kites from Gaza.
“From now on, every launch will be met with a forceful response against those responsible, the organizers and perpetrators, as well as against the launch sites and infrastructure used by them,” Katz says.
The recent kite incidents revived memories of waves of kites and balloons launched from Gaza in previous years, notably in 2018-21, some of which sparked major fires in southern Israel.
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Thursday, August 27, 2026
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