Israel threatens to intensify Gaza strikes, displace more Palestinians over kite launches

Israel has threatened to escalate its strikes on Gaza, potentially displacing more Palestinians, in response to the ongoing launches of drones, balloons, and kites from the territory towards Israeli settlements, according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office. Over the weekend, Israeli media reported that several kites, which are believed to have been launched from Gaza, had landed near Israeli settlements located adjacent to the Gaza Strip.

However, Israeli authorities noted that these kites were not carrying explosives and therefore posed no immediate danger.

In a meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Netanyahu, together with Defense Minister Israel Katz, the Israeli military chief of staff, the head of the National Security Council, and other officials, discussed the matter. Katz declared that he had given orders for Israeli forces to respond "forcefully" to the launching of kites, balloons, and drones from Gaza. He emphasized the need to take steps to prevent these launches from occurring in the future.

The measures Katz mentioned include targeting Hamas commanders who are responsible for the launches and displacing residents from neighborhoods where the kites were launched. Katz clarified that a balloon is akin to a kite, and a kite is similar to a drone, regardless of whether they carry explosives or not.