By Pesach Benson • August 24, 2026
Jerusalem, 24 August, 2026 (TPS-IL) — President Isaac Herzog said Monday that Israel must remain vigilant over security concerns among residents near the Gaza border, including the launching of kites from the Strip.
“After October 7, the State of Israel must not underestimate any sign or any concern of the residents of the [Gaza] envelope,” Herzog said while speaking at the inauguration of a seminary at Kibbutz Nir Oz. “But it must also not allow any kite to return the envelope to October 6.”
A Palestinian chiild in Gaza City launches a kite on Aug. 23, 2026. Photo by TPS-IL
Four kites believed to have been flown from Gaza landed in Kibbutz Nahal Oz over the weekend, prompting concern among residents who recalled Hamas’s past use of kites to carry incendiary devices across the border. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the kites were attached to strings stretching several kilometers and that no suspicious objects were found. The military said there was no danger to the public.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said Sunday they had ordered the Israel Defense Forces to take significant action in response to kites launched from Gaza over the weekend. Netanyahu said he had instructed the defense establishment and military to do “everything” necessary to counter what he described as the “lethal” threat.
Residents nevertheless remained concerned, warning that similar incidents involving kites and balloons had been part of the 2018 Gaza border unrest. Some residents also said they believed the latest incident could be an attempt by Hamas to test Israel’s response.
During Gaza border unrest in 2018, Palestinian incendiary kites and balloons caused more than 2,000 fires in southern Israel, burning more than 35,000 dunams (3,500 hectares) of land, according to the IDF.
Nir Oz was among the communities hardest hit in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack, with 47 residents killed and 76 people taken hostage.
Herzog added that he told Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s adviser and son-in-law, that the security of border communities must be central to any future arrangement for Gaza.
“The State of Israel is here, sees, is alert, and protects,” Herzog said.
