A kite was discovered over the weekend near Moshav Shuva in the Sdot Negev Regional Council. Council head Tamir Idan claimed the kite came from the Gaza Strip, adding that inspection revealed it carried no explosives. An IDF spokesperson said the circumstances of the incident are under investigation.
Idan sharply criticized the incident, saying that the mere penetration of an aerial device from Gaza into council territory is a serious event. “Even when it turns out it carried no explosives, this is crossing a red line for us,” he said.
1+According to Idan, the concern is that incidents like this could become routine or develop into a more significant threat. “Today it’s a kite without explosives, tomorrow that same device could carry explosives, and eventually the threat could come via drones or other means,” he warned.
The council head called for a clear response from Israel and made clear that from his perspective, there’s no room to return to a policy of containment regarding incidents from Gaza. “We will not accept a drip of incidents and no gradual return to the security reality we knew in the past,” he said.
1+Idan added that any future discussion of arrangements concerning the Gaza Strip must, in his view, be conditional on ensuring the security of border residents. He specified that for him, the conditions include dismantling Hamas, demilitarizing the Strip, and ensuring stable security for area residents.