“Israel” Turns Gaza Children’s Kites into A New Pretext for Aggression

By Staff, Agencies

The “Israeli” occupation threatened Sunday to intensify its aggression against Gaza over kites, drones and balloons crossing from the Strip, despite Hamas denying responsibility and reports confirming the kites carried no explosives.

“Israeli” media reported that four kites were found in settlements near the Gaza border on Saturday, while another was intercepted by the "Israeli" occupation forces [IOF] Sunday, bringing the number recovered in recent days to around 10.

According to the reports, the IOF claimed Hamas was behind the kites and suggested the launches could have been intended to test how “Israel” would respond.

Yet kites and balloons are windborne objects whose movement largely depends on prevailing winds, while reports said the kites contained no explosives.

“Israel” warned Hamas that further launches toward the occupied areas would trigger intensified operations against those responsible and possible evacuation of residents from areas where the objects were allegedly launched. The threat came in a joint statement by Benjamin Netanyahu and War Minister Yisrael Katz following a security meeting with senior military and security officials.

Meanwhile, Uri Epstein, a settlement leader near Gaza, called for military action, saying residents would no longer tolerate assurances that “it will be okay.”

Hamas denied responsibility for the incidents. Bassem Naim, a senior member of its political bureau, said the kites were “launched from Gaza by children searching for their innocent childhood amid the rubble.”

The statement underscored the reality facing Gaza’s children, who have grown up amid the devastation of the “Israeli” war and are now trying to reclaim small fragments of ordinary childhood among the ruins.

In Gaza, where homes and civilian infrastructure have been devastated, even flying a kite has become a pretext for the "Israeli" occupation to threaten further aggression.

Hamas separately denounced the IOF for using the kites as a “pretext” for airstrikes on central Gaza Sunday, with Gaza’s Civil Defense reporting three people lost their lives in the strikes.