Hamas, Gazan NGO cm'tee warn parents to stop children flying kites after Israel threatens strikes

Parents in the Gaza Strip have been advised to cease children from flying kites, following Israel's threat of retaliation should Hamas resume the practice of launching incendiary kites over the border. This warning, issued by popular committees representing local non-government organizations, was coordinated with Hamas authorities, according to a source within the group.

The statement emphasized that the aim is to safeguard the children's lives, not to impede their childhood, as the kids have already endured the loss of basic rights to play and live without fear. In 2018, Gazans sent incendiary balloons and kites over the border, igniting fires in thousands of acres of farmland. Over the past month, unmarked kites were observed flying from Gaza into Israel, causing alarm among Israeli residents in nearby villages.

In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautioned Hamas that launching kites, balloons, or drones at Israel would result in assassination targets for those responsible, and the areas of origin would be ordered to evacuate. Netanya's mother, Umm Mohammed, expressed concern for her 10-year-old son Ahmed, who with other children in the neighborhood, typically flies kites for leisure.

She vowed to prevent Ahmed from doing so henceforth. An Israeli defense official suggested Hamas is attempting to provoke Israel by inciting Gazans to fly kites across the border, while a Hamas official accused Israel of fabricating pretext to prolong the conflict in Gaza. Israel also alerted the US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace overseeing the 2025 Gaza ceasefire deal about the kite issue.