Israel must remember the danger carried by Gaza kites, Hamas dictating tempo at border - editorial

Residents of Israel's Gaza border communities are once again seeing kites launched from the enclave, a tactic that Hamas previously employed as a favored method of harassment. Years before October 7, incendiary kites and balloons caused widespread fires, burning thousands of acres of fields, forests, and nature reserves across southern Israel. This seemingly crude tactic evolved into an organized campaign that Israel struggled to contain.

The reappearance of these kites cannot be dismissed as a mere curiosity. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have rightly warned Hamas that continued launches will result in an intensified Israeli response. Defense Minister Katz has insisted that Israel will not revert to the pre-October 7 reality, a promise that must be substantiated with concrete action.

Over the past week, at least six kites have crossed from Gaza into Israel, with some reports indicating a higher number. So far, none of the recovered kites have carried explosives, and no Israelis have been endangered. The IDF suggests that Palestinian youth, some as young as 12 or 13, are being used to launch them, likely under Hamas direction. However, a military official's comment that the IDF needs to "wait and see if this becomes a trend" has raised concerns.

Israel must act to stop this trend before it escalates into a greater threat. In 2018, incendiary kites and balloons began appearing, eventually leading to widespread destruction and the attachment of explosives to some devices. While the IDF did respond at times, the pattern became familiar: Hamas would provoke, Israel would assess the escalation, and life on the border would absorb another deterioration. Residents of border communities have every right to be alarmed by any suggestion that Israel should again wait to determine if a pattern is emerging.

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wait and see if this becomes a trend