Katz: Every kite launch will be met with evacuation of residents in Gaza
Following a situation assessment held with IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir and senior defense officials, the Minister of Defense clarified that the deadline of the ultimatum set following the launch of balloons and incendiary kites from the Gaza Strip has expired. From now on, every launch of a kite or balloon will be considered an act of terror and will be met with a powerful response.
Minister of Defense Israel Katz held a special situation assessment against the backdrop of the return of the kite threat from the Gaza Strip, during which he declared that from now on, the launching of balloons or kites from the Gaza Strip will be perceived as an act of terror in every sense.
In the situation assessment held by Katz together with the IDF Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, the Head of the Operations Directorate, the Home Front Command Chief, and other senior defense officials, he emphasized that the deadline of the ultimatum set by Israel following the launch of balloons and kites from the Gaza Strip toward the Negev communities has expired.
According to him, every additional launch — from now on — will be met with a powerful response against the perpetrators, organizers, and the infrastructure they use. Katz noted that in accordance with a joint directive from him and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the IDF will act with all necessary tools to deal with terror hubs, including the evacuation of the population from an area or neighborhood from which launches are carried out in the Strip.
The Minister of Defense emphasized that Israel will not allow Hamas or any other entity to return to the methods of intimidation and threats against the southern communities as it was on the eve of October 7, and clarified that any entity that attempts to take these steps will pay a heavy price.
Return of the kite terror
As recalled, on Saturday it was published in "Ha-Yom" that two kites were located in the area of Kibbutz Nahal Oz. The incident joins a series of similar cases recorded in recent months in the Gaza envelope. In April, two kites were located near Kibbutz Kissufim. Since then, additional cases have been recorded, including a kite located about two weeks ago in the Nadav fields area and another kite located about a week ago in the Shir HaNegev forest.
The growing discourse about the kites in recent days has led to a series of discussions and situation assessments in the defense establishment. At the beginning of the week, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense convened a special meeting on the subject. In the defense establishment, it is believed that Hamas's decision to launch kites, and perhaps even more than that, stems from deep frustration in light of the high pace of eliminations by the IDF — three or four terrorists a day, meaning about 20 a week and about 80 a month.
