Israel thwarts attempt to smuggle tens of thousands of balloons into Gaza

Israeli authorities seized tens of thousands of balloons on their way to Gaza, where terrorists use them to launch arson attacks on Israel.

By: World Israel News Staff

Israel in recent weeks seized at the Ashdod port three containers holding tens of thousands of balloons which were en route to the Gaza Strip, Israel’s Channel 10 news reported.

The balloons were confiscated to prevent Hamas from using them for their incendiary arson terrorism against Israel.

Over the course of the past four months, Hamas terrorists have launched thousands of incendiary devices into Israeli territory, which have resulted in the destruction of more than 7,500 acres of land, hundreds of acres of wheat fields, and 2,700 acres of protected nature reserves.

To date, Gazans have launched over 1,000 incendiary devices across the border, leading to more than 750 fires –an average of 11 per day. Not only have damaged exceeded $3 million, but it will take years to reverse the ecological damage caused by Hamas.

Despite a ceasefire announced by Hamas on Thursday, Gazans continued to send incendiary terror-kites into Israel.

On Monday, a large fire broke out in the Re’im area of the Eshkol region in southern Israel. Forces were called in to extinguish it.

The blaze was most probably caused by a fire kite.

On Saturday, a massive incendiary kite launched from Gaza landed on electric power lines near Kibbutz Sufa, sparking an emergency operation by the Israel Electric Company to remove the terror device before it started a fire.

The kite caused a power outage and was removed from the high-voltage lines using a crane.

Also on Saturday, police sappers neutralized a terror balloon launched from Gaza that landed next to a dining room in the Eshkol Region In addition, a fire was started in the Nir Am nature reserve by another incendiary terror device, although the blaze was brought under control by the afternoon.

Speaking at the beginning of the Cabinet meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel is “in the midst of a campaign against terror in Gaza. It entails an exchange of blows; it will not end in one strike.”

“Our demand is clear – a complete ceasefire. We will not suffice with less than this,” he underscored.

“As of now, we have destroyed hundreds of Hamas military targets, and in each round the IDF exacts an additional heavy price. I will not reveal here our operational plans, they are ready. Our objective is to restore the quiet to residents of the south and the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip; this goal will be achieved in full,” he stated.