Swarms? Squadrons? The correct grouping designation is unclear, but what is clear is that hundreds of flaming kites have been flown over the fence into Israel in the last month causing millions in damage and endangering civilians.
These kites, which have caused hundreds of fires, have been flown mainly under cover of ongoing “protests” in Gaza. Such protests have been cover for other violence in the last month, as previously noted in this space.
Ynet reports that “the ‘aerial terror offensive’ against the Gaza border communities has continued with greater vigor, including some 300 incendiary kites flown into Israel’s territory, 100 fires and more than 3,000 acres of wheat destroyed, causing millions of shekels worth of damage to the farmers of the area.”
Footage shows demonstrators sending the weaponized kites into sky
The Times of Israel reports kites are being “outfitted with Molotov cocktails and containers of burning fuel.”
It’s not just direct threats to civilians but major damage to infrastructure and farms as well.
A tour of the kite-plagues areas – the Kissufim Forest, the Be’eri Forest, the Assaf Simhoni Forest and the agricultural areas of Kibbutz Nahal Oz, Nir Am and Kfar Aza – reveal large blackened areas. Nature reserves have been destroyed, fields burned, irrigation systems damaged and animals harmed.
Avner Yona, director of field crop operations at Nahal Oz, is responsible for some 5,000 dunams (1,250 acres) of wheat. Two thousand dunams were harvested two months ago and another 1,000 dunams have been burned so far. Due to the repeated fires in the fields, Yona is having a hard time harvesting what is left.
“I can’t deal with these fires,” he says. “They kill me. You can’t do anything about them, it’s a catastrophe.
About halfway through this video you can see them preparing a kite.
The suspects stayed in Israeli territory for about a minute. During the infiltration, the suspects hurled a firebomb that burst into flames & placed a tent with the caption- “The March of the return. Returning to the lands of Palestine.” pic.twitter.com/gUsylt72ZZ
— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) May 26, 2018
It’s a big, sustained attack on Israel.
During the riots, burning tires were used to create smokescreens in order to mask attempts to damage the protective infrastructures, rocks were hurled at IDF troops, & kites with burning items attached to them were flown, with the intention of igniting fires in Israeli territory
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 21, 2018
An explosive device was placed & detonated near the Karni Crossing in northern Gaza & a firebomb attached to a kite was dispatched. Meanwhile, explosive devices, rocks & firebombs have continued to be hurled
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 13, 2018
Rioters are flying kites with burning items, intending to ignite fires in Israel. Also, rioters hurled an explosive device at IDF troops who are responding with riot dispersal means & fire in accordance with the rules of engagement
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 4, 2018
Now we just wait for the hot takes about how cruel Israel is for shooting down innocent family kite fun.
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