Israeli fighter jets struck Hamas targets on Saturday in response to the launching of incendiary balloons a day earlier, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit announced.
The IDF said it struck a Hamas military camp and a rocket-launching position in the northern Gazan refugee camp of Jabalya, adding that it would “continue to respond with strikes to terror attempts from Gaza.”
At least four fires broke out in the Eshkol regional council on Friday after incendiary balloons were launched from the blockaded coastal enclave. Three of the fires were in the Kissufim forest, while the other broke out near the community of Be’eri, said Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF).
COGAT head Maj.-Gen. Ghassan Alian addressed residents of the Gaza Strip via Facebook in response to the fires.
“Are you really willing to endanger your daily lives for the sake of balloons?” he asked. “Have you not had enough of this endless cycle that leads you nowhere? Are these balloons worth more than the shrinking of your fishing zone?
Maintaining the quiet and security in the region will better your economy,” he wrote.
Gazans have been launching thousands of incendiary balloons into southern Israel for the past three years, burning hundreds of hectares, killing countless animals, and causing significant damage to agricultural fields, as well as nature reserves and private property.
Several of these incendiary devices have also carried explosive devices such as rocket-propelled grenades. Though most have landed in communities close to the Gaza Strip, others have landed close to 70 km. away.
Jerusalem has been blocking the transfer of Qatari money into the blockaded coastal enclave, but according to a report in the Palestinian al-Quds daily, the UN will oversee the transfer of the funds.
Since the end of Operation Guardian of the Walls in May, Jerusalem has blocked the transfer of Qatari money into the Hamas-run enclave after Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said he wanted a new mechanism for the aid to be distributed, arguing that the current lack of oversight allows the terror group to siphon off the funds.
Though a system to transfer the aid to Hamas has been found, according to a report on Ynet News, the Palestinian Authority’s banking systems are refusing to take part, fearing that their cooperation would expose them to legal actions on the grounds of supporting and funding terrorism.
Hamas has in turn threatened to resume greater violence if the funds are not allowed to enter Gaza.
In the three months since the 11 days of fighting in May, dozens of incendiary and explosive balloons have been launched. In return, the Israeli army has struck Hamas targets in Gaza.
Israel has vowed that incendiary balloons would be treated like rocket attacks fired toward Israeli communities.
Israeli strikes two weeks ago targeted several buildings in a Hamas military base, as well as infrastructure and utilities used for the group’s activities. The base was adjacent to civilian sites, including a school.
Israel has seen multiple fires break out across the country over the last few days, most notably in and around the Jerusalem area, as the long, dry heat waves caused forest fires to catch and spread more easily.
The airstrikes in Gaza came several hours after Hezbollah fired a barrage of 19 rockets from south Lebanon into Israel. The IDF responded with artillery fire towards the launch site.