Key facts
- Israel threatened to intensify Gaza strikes if kites, balloons, and drones are launched from the Strip.
- Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered forceful responses, including targeting Hamas commanders and displacing residents.
- Recent Israeli airstrikes in Gaza killed at least 10 people, with troops also detaining a Hamas official.
- The conflict has led to the displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians from Gaza City.
- Since a ceasefire, Israeli strikes have killed at least 1,273 people in Gaza.
Israel has warned Hamas that it will intensify its strikes in the Gaza Strip if drones, balloons, and kites continue to be launched from the territory toward Israeli settlements. The warning came after several kites, reportedly launched from Gaza, landed near Israeli settlements over the weekend. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz directed military forces to respond forcefully, stating that measures would include targeting Hamas commanders responsible for the launches and displacing residents from neighborhoods where the launches occurred.
Recent days have seen increased violence, with at least 10 people killed in Gaza airstrikes on Wednesday. Israeli troops also crossed the ceasefire line and detained a Hamas police colonel. The Israeli military stated that some strikes targeted Hamas commanders involved in the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel. A strike on a police station in Gaza City killed at least nine people, and a strike on a seaside cafe killed seven Palestinians.
Since a ceasefire began in October, Israeli strikes have resulted in at least 1,273 fatalities, according to Gaza health officials. Israel's military has also intensified attacks on Gaza City, forcing tens of thousands of Palestinians to flee again. These actions have drawn international condemnation, with concerns raised about the potential for increased suffering and starvation among the displaced population. Nearly 90 percent of Gaza's 2.4 million Palestinians remain displaced.