Police investigate if ‘suspicious balloon’ in Beersheba came from Gaza
Sappers called after cluster of balloons carrying mysterious green package found in the southern city
Police closed off a street in the southern city of Beersheba on Monday after a “suspicious balloon” was found in the city, stoking fears it could be an incendiary device sent from the Gaza Strip.
“Sappers were called a short time ago to Ringelblum Street in Beersheba due to a suspicious balloon,” police said. “The road was closed and onlookers were kept at a secure distance.”
Police said the balloon was “dealt with” and the road reopened, without giving further details.
A picture released by police showed a cluster of 4 balloons with a small green package suspended below, similar to the hundreds of incendiary balloons that have been launched into Israel from Gaza in recent months, causing massive fire damage.
Beersheeba is some 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
Israel has threatened Hamas with a massive incursion into Gaza should it not halt the balloon and kite attacks. However, in recent days, the UN and Egypt have reportedly been working to broker a deal that would bring the violence to an end.
Recent weeks have seen the most serious tensions with Hamas since the 2014 war.
Two weeks ago, an IDF soldier, Aviv Levi, was shot dead on the border by a Gazan sniper. The incident was followed by widespread Israeli airstrikes. UN mediator Nickolay Mladenov later said the sides had been “minutes from war” before a tacit ceasefire was reached.
A ceasefire was hurriedly agreed upon over the weekend but a soldier was moderately wounded by Gaza sniper in a second incident, on Wednesday. Israel responded with tank fire and airstrikes on Hamas targets, and rockets were fired from the Palestinian territory at communities in southern Israel.
The Times of Israel Community.