Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz directly warned Hamas on Sunday that if the launch of kites across the Gaza border into Israeli territory does not stop immediately, the IDF will increase strikes on the Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n
In a joint statement released after a situational assessment regarding the threat of drones, balloons, and kites, Netanyahu and Katz stated that the strikes would target those responsible for the launches.<\/p>\n
They also warned that populations in the areas where the kites, drones, and balloons are launched may be evacuated if the launches are not stopped.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Sunday, Katz instructed the IDF to act “immediately and forcefully” against any additional kites launched toward Israel from the Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n
“We view every launch as an act of war in every sense and are committed to the absolute defense of Israeli settlements,” Katz said in a Sunday statement, after a fifth kite was located in Kibbutz Kfar Aza over the weekend. “A balloon is treated like a kite, and a kite is treated like a drone, with or without explosives.”<\/p>\n
Kites believed to have been sent from Gaza into Israel, August 22, 2026. (credit: SCREENSHOT\/X\/VIA SECTION 27A OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT)<\/p>\n
“We will not allow a return to the reality of before October 7, and anyone who organizes, launches, or enables the launches will be dealt with immediately and with full severity.”<\/p>\n
Over the past week, the IDF identified at least six kites that crossed from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory. One crossed at the beginning of last week, two more crossed during the week, and five additional kites<\/a> crossed in the past 24 hours, on Saturday.<\/p>\n According to military sources, the kites are being sent over by “12- and 13-year-old teenagers, who themselves are being operated by other parties, likely Hamas operatives.\u201d<\/p>\n Residents of Western Negev communities strongly criticized the IDF for not responding to the kite incidents, citing previous events. Years before October 7, Hamas<\/a> established balloon and kite units to carry incendiary materials that landed in Israeli territory and ignited fields and forests, including infrastructure and homes.<\/p>\n Soldiers serving in the IDF’s Gaza Division also claimed they had not been briefed on the issue and had not received organized information regarding operational procedures for such incidents, amid concerns that the kites could be booby-trapped.<\/p>\n An official military source told Walla that the IDF \u201cis not underestimating the threat, is monitoring it and treating every incident seriously, in order to understand who is operating them, when it happens and where they could fall.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Kites increase as IDF waits to see if it ‘becomes a trend’<\/strong><\/p>\n The source acknowledged an increase of four kites in the past 24 hours.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to wait and see if this becomes a trend, and then steps will be considered accordingly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n KAN News reported that 10 kites had been sent in recent days, citing a military source.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the IDF Southern Command emphasized that regardless of the kite issue, which has so far not received an operational response through either defensive measures or retaliation, 13 Hamas operatives were eliminated over the past week, including senior field commanders.<\/p>\n The IDF said the Hamas field commanders and operatives were eliminated deep inside Gaza and along the Yellow Line as part of efforts to thwart hostile terrorist activity, in accordance with the policy set by the political leadership.<\/p>\n The IDF Spokesperson\u2019s Unit said that a kite was identified yesterday in the area of Kibbutz Nahal Oz, and that during searches conducted by forces in the area this morning, three additional kites were located.<\/p>\n \u201cNo suspicious findings were located on the kites,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n According to assessments, the kites crossed the border from the Gaza Strip. \u201cAt no point was there a danger to the public,\u201d it was clarified.<\/p>\n The spokesperson also added that \u201cthe IDF<\/a> continues to maintain continuous contact with the communities.\u201d<\/p>\n Returning to pre-October 7\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Uri Epstein, head of the Sha\u2019ar HaNegev Regional Council, said in an interview with 103FM Radio that after October 7, the burden of proof lies with the military and the state, and that residents\u2019 trust in the system is already not high.<\/p>\n