Israel has been accused of exploiting reports that paper kites were launched from Gaza as a justification for escalating its military attacks on the territory.
Three Palestinians, including a four-year-old child, were killed in Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza on Sunday. The strikes targeted areas including az-Zawayda, Salah al-Din Street, southern Khan Younis and a tent sheltering displaced people at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened further military action over the alleged launching of “kites, drones and balloons” from Gaza. They also warned of the forced displacement of Palestinians from areas allegedly used as launch sites.
However, the Israeli military reportedly found 10 paper kites and said they contained no explosives and had been flown by children in displacement camps.
Palestinian political analyst Hussam Shaheen described the claims about drones as baseless, saying there was no evidence connecting them to Gaza.
Analysts interviewed by Al Jazeera argued that the kite issue could be being used as a pretext to avoid political commitments, undermine ceasefire efforts and increase pressure on Palestinians.
The escalation comes after Israel rejected a US-backed 15-point ceasefire proposal that Hamas had accepted. Some analysts also linked the latest developments to Israel’s upcoming October elections, suggesting that security concerns and military action could be used to strengthen domestic political support.
Experts further warned that the rhetoric surrounding the kites could contribute to the displacement of Palestinians and efforts to reshape the demographic situation in Gaza.
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