Israel has issued a fresh warning to Hamas over kites and balloons launched from Gaza, saying its military will adopt a “zero containment and zero tolerance”
policy if such objects are directed towards communities in the Negev. The warning came after several kites were found near Israeli communities along the Gaza border, reviving memories of incendiary attacks that caused widespread fires in the area before the October 2023 Hamas assault. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Monday that the Israel Defense Forces had been instructed to respond to launches from Gaza. “If the launches continue, forceful action will be taken to put an end to the phenomenon,” Katz said, adding that a balloon or kite would be treated in the same manner as a drone, whether or not it carried explosives. The warning has raised fresh concerns about the stability of the Gaza ceasefire. Hamas, however, has rejected the allegation that it is preparing another offensive and accused Israel of threatening military action over what it described as paper objects being launched by children.
Israel Warns Hamas Over Kite And Balloon Launches
Kites and balloons have a history in the Israel-Gaza conflict. Before the October 2023 attacks, incendiary devices and braziers were attached to kites and balloons launched from Gaza, starting fires that damaged thousands of acres of Israeli farmland and forests.
The latest concern began after roughly half a dozen kites landed in Israeli communities near the Gaza border over the weekend. The objects reportedly did not carry incendiary or explosive payloads, but their appearance was enough to prompt Israeli security officials to examine whether they could represent something more than an isolated incident.
Rafi Babian, head of security for a regional council representing several border communities, said he had examined two of the kites. He said their strings stretched as far as 4.5 kilometres, a detail that has drawn particular attention from Israeli officials.
Israeli security officials have suggested that the unusually long strings could point towards preparations involving fibre-optic drones, technology Hezbollah has previously used against Israel in the north. That assessment has not been independently established, and there has been no confirmation that Hamas is preparing such a system in Gaza.
Hamas Denies New Attack Plans
Hamas has rejected Israel's warning and denied that it is preparing a new offensive. Bassem Naim, a Hamas official, said Israel was giving the group three days to stop the launches before threatening a major aerial attack.
Naim described the Israeli response as an attempt to “deal harshly with paper airplanes emerging from Gaza” and said the objects could be linked to children seeking some semblance of normal life amid the destruction in the territory.
Israeli officials, however, have taken a more serious view of the activity. Orit Strock, a minister in Israel's security cabinet, said the long strings attached to the kites sent “a message” that required a clear response.
The October Council, an Israeli group representing survivors of the October 7 attacks, also released a report claiming that soldiers and field observers had seen signs of Hamas rebuilding its military capabilities. The report alleged that Hamas was producing rockets and incendiary kites.
Those claims come as the wider ceasefire remains fragile. A US-brokered truce reached in October 2025 brought a tentative halt to two years of war, but disagreements over Hamas' disarmament and an Israeli military withdrawal have continued to obstruct a more permanent settlement.
Israeli forces currently control significant parts of Gaza and have continued operations against Hamas positions. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, more than 1,200 Palestinians have been killed in the territory since the ceasefire.
