The Israeli government has issued a warning regarding the potential for increased “targeted strikes” on Gaza if Hamas does not take steps to stop kites, including those flown by children, from reaching Israel.
In a message shared on social media platform X on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that he and Defense Minister Israel Katz convened for a “situational assessment” that evening to address the “threat posed by drones, balloons, and kites launched from the Gaza Strip toward Israel.”
The meeting included attendance from Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, the chief of the general staff; the head of the National Security Council; and prominent officials from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
Netanyahu further stated that Israel is signaling to Hamas that if the launches do not stop immediately, “the IDF will increase targeted strikes against those accountable for the launches and will relocate the population from areas utilized as launch sites for kites, drones, and balloons.”
“Israel will not permit the Hamas terrorist organization or any other group in the Gaza Strip to once again pose a threat to our communities or jeopardize the safety of our citizens,” he declared.
For 13-year-old Omar Halawa, flying a kite along the shore in Khan Younis offers a brief escape amid the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip.
<p"We fly kites to lift our spirits," he shared with CBC freelance videographer Mohamed El Saife. "There is nothing left in Gaza that brings us joy."
Omar explained that he constructs kites himself, including making the fringe and the tail. He acknowledged the warnings issued by Netanyahu regarding kite flying.
“We don’t use any missiles; we are just kids,” he stated. “We don’t engage with Hamas; we simply want to live.”
-
As Israel’s military advances its yellow line, Gazans fear they’re being pushed to the sea
-
Israel opens criminal probes over killings of 6-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, Gaza rescue workers
Prior to the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which ignited the current conflict, Israel reported that incendiary kites and balloons were launched from Gaza, resulting in fires and other damages. Israeli officials have since indicated that several kites were discovered in a kibbutz close to Gaza, with no weapons or hazardous materials attached.
Netanyahu’s latest announcement follows reports that Israeli strikes and tank fire claimed the lives of at least four individuals on Monday, including two children, according to hospital sources, just a week after a U.S. delegation urged Israel to reduce its military actions.
The strikes targeted the Bureij and Shati refugee camps, Khan Younis, and a tent in Deir al-Balah. The casualties included two children, aged four and ten, as well as two adult males.
The assault on October 7 killed approximately 1,200 individuals and resulted in 251 hostages, based on Israeli counts. In response, Israel’s offensive in Gaza has reportedly led to the deaths of over 73,422 Palestinians, as per figures from the enclave’s Health Ministry, which also states that since a ceasefire was instituted last October, Israeli airstrikes have taken the lives of at least 1,288 Palestinians.
A displaced Palestinian boy prepares a kite amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, in February 2024. (Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters)
On the Telegram messaging platform, Hamas condemned Netanyahu’s remarks regarding children flying kites, stating they “confirm a premeditated intention to continue aggression and advance plans for displacement and genocide.”
The group characterized the recent Israeli strikes as “a further escalation of brutal crimes” against Palestinians and a “flagrant violation” of international law.
Hamas has also called upon the Trump administration and mediators to denounce Israel’s actions and pressure it to “follow the roadmap toward a true ceasefire in Gaza.”
Omar expressed his fear of flying kites, worried that a strike might occur because of him, endangering those around him. “I don’t want to die; there is no safety,” he lamented.
His mother, Yasmin Halawa, 38, noted that her son has already lost so much and cannot afford to lose his kite as well. “He has lost his school, his soccer games, and his swimming,” she said. “So he chose to create a kite.”
Halawa voiced concerns that further restrictions on children’s activities could emerge due to the security issues highlighted by Israel.
As dusk fell, the children continued to fly their kites, this time in the vicinity of their tents rather than on the Mediterranean shore.