Palestinian Islamists have yet again launched dozens of incendiary kites and balloons from the Gaza Strip toward Israel’s southern communities. As a result, two fires broke out in the Be’eri Forest, which is situated in the Eshkol Regional Council.
Israel’s Fire and Rescue Authority said in a statement that firefighters managed to control the blazes. In response to the incendiary arson attacks, Jerusalem has once again instructed the coordinator for government activities in the territories, Major General Kamil Abu Rukun, to reduce the Palestinians’ fishing-zone off the Mediterranean coast of the Gaza Strip. As such, General Abu Rukun informed the Fishing association in Gaza that their fishing zone has been restricted from 15 to 10 nautical miles immediately, until further notice.
Despite the launch of dozens of incendiary balloons toward Israel, deputy Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Khalil al-Hayya emphasized that the so-called cease-fire arrangements with Israel were being kept. The senior Hamas leader said in an interview to the Hezbollah affiliated network, Al-Mayadeen, that progress was being made in the talks regarding the issues of fishing, electricity, and the border crossings and that a new hospital would soon be built in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.