Israel warns Hamas over kite launches from Gaza

Israeli media reported that four kites were found in communities near the Gaza border on Saturday and one was shot down by the army on Sunday, bringing the total number recovered in recent days to around 10.

The incidents have revived memories of waves of incendiary kites and balloons launched from Gaza in previous years, which sparked fires in agricultural lands in southern Israel.

According to the reports, the Israeli military believes Hamas was behind the launches, which did not carry explosives, and may have been testing how Israel would respond.

"Israel warns Hamas that if the launches toward Israel do not cease immediately, the IDF will take action to intensify targeted operations against those responsible... and will evacuate the population from areas from which kites, drones and balloons are launched," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement.

They said they had held a security assessment with top military and security officials on Sunday to discuss the matter.

Uri Epstein, a leader for Gaza border communities -- many of which were attacked by Hamas on October 7, 2023 -- told Channel 12 that "after October 7, we will no longer tolerate the words 'It will be ok'".

"The writing is in the sky, and it's the army's responsibility to act in time."

Hamas meanwhile denied responsibility for the launches.

Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau, said in a statement that the kites were "launched from Gaza by children searching for their innocent childhood amid the rubble".

In a separate statement, the Islamist group accused Israel of using the kites as a "pretext" for airstrikes in central Gaza on Sunday, in which three people were killed according to Gaza's civil defence rescue service.