Beeri forest burns after Hamas incendiary balloon attack

Qatari envoy Mohammed Al-Emadi and UN envoy to the Middle East Nikolay Mladenov are currently in Gaza.

By HAGAY HACOHEN
Aftermath of fire in Beeri forest (photo credit: OSHRI TZIMER)
Aftermath of fire in Beeri forest
(photo credit: OSHRI TZIMER)
Beeri Forest, in the south of the country, suffered a massive fire on Monday after an incendiary balloon was launched from the Gaza Strip and landed there.
Hamas had been sending incendiary balloons and explosive balloons into Israel on a large scale in recent weeks as clashes between the IDF and the Gaza Strip-based terrorist group continue.
Qatari envoy Mohammed Al-Emadi arrived in the Gaza Strip on Sunday and UN envoy to the Middle East Nikolay Mladenov is reportedly in Gaza as well.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel regularly allowing Qatari funds to be transferred into Gaza on Monday, saying it is part of a broader strategy to keep Hamas and the Palestinian Authority separate, a source in Monday’s Likud faction meeting said.
Netanyahu explained that, in the past, the Palestinian Authority transferred the millions of dollars to Hamas in Gaza. He argued that it was better for Israel to serve as the lifeline to ensure the funds don’t go to terrorism.