Palestinian arson balloons start blazes at Israeli college, kibbutz

Palestinian terrorists operating in Gaza launched incendiary devices that started at least 10 fires in Israeli territory on Friday, and another six fires on Saturday.

By: World Israel News Staff

On Saturday afternoon, Israeli authorities continued to battle fires started with incendiary devices launched by Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

Two of the primary blazes on Saturday occurred at Sderot’s Sapir College and Kibbutz Gevim, the latter of which grew into a sizeable blaze similar to numerous other fires in the area that have destroyed thousands of acres of farmland and nature reserves.

An incendiary balloon was found in Kibbutz Gevim in the area of the blaze, reported Times of Israel.

An IDF tank reportedly fired on a group of Palestinians in Gaza on Saturday, according to a report by Haaretz citing Palestinian media outlets in the Strip.

This is not the first fire that has affected Sapir College, with a blaze in June forcing authorities to shut down traffic on nearby Route 232 until the fire was contained.

On Friday, a day in which Palestinians caused 10 fires in Israeli territory, the IDF launched a strike on a group of terrorists in northern Gaza sending incendiary balloons toward Israel, the army announced.

While reports have surfaced claiming that Hamas will “phase out” the fire kites and balloons, a tactic it orchestrates and facilitates, arson attacks using airborne incendiary devices continue on a nearly daily basis.

To date, more than 7,000 acres of Israeli land have been torched, causing millions of dollars in damages.

The IDF has targeted the terror cells launching the balloons, using drones and other means, in addition to decreasing the flow of goods through one of the primary border crossings, but Hamas has yet to clamp down on Palestinians continuing to commit arson attacks.