Israel warns of 'forceful' response to kites flown from Gaza

What the report says

Israel has warned Hamas it will step up strikes on Gaza after reports that kites, drones and balloons were launched from the territory and found near the border. According to the BBC World News report, Defence Minister Israel Katz said there would be “forceful actions” and “zero tolerance” if the phenomenon continued. Israeli officials said several of the kites found in a community near Kibbutz Nahal Oz over the weekend were not carrying explosives and did not pose an immediate threat.

Hamas denied responsibility, saying the kites belonged to children in Gaza and accusing Israel of using the incident as a pretext for further air strikes despite the ceasefire agreed last October. The group said the items were ordinary children’s toys and rejected the Israeli allegations. Local Israeli residents, however, voiced concern that incendiary kite tactics used before the war could return.

The episode comes amid continued violence in Gaza. The BBC reported that Palestinian health officials said two people were killed in Israeli strikes on Sunday in central Gaza, and another man was reported killed in an overnight strike on Monday. The Israeli military said it had targeted Hamas figures and had warned civilians before one of the attacks. The broader conflict began after the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 assault on southern Israel, and Gaza’s health authorities say tens of thousands have since been killed.