The United Nations has criticised an Israeli threat to remove people from parts of Gaza where kites, drones and balloons are being launched towards Israel, calling the rhetoric unacceptable.
Speaking to reporters in Geneva on Tuesday, UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said the threat to expel people over children's kite-flying was “outrageous”. She also raised broader concerns over statements coming from senior Israeli officials.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz warned on Sunday that military operations in Gaza would be intensified if launches of kites, drones and balloons towards Israel continued.
In a joint statement, the two leaders said the Israel Defence Forces would intensify targeted operations against those responsible and evacuate the population from areas from which the objects were being launched.
The warning followed a recent increase in such incidents. Israeli media reported that four kites were found in communities near the Gaza border on Saturday, while another was shot down by the army on Sunday. Around 10 such objects had reportedly been recovered in recent days.
The incidents have revived memories of earlier waves of incendiary kites and balloons launched from Gaza that caused fires in agricultural areas in southern Israel.
According to reports, the Israeli military believes Hamas was behind the latest launches, although the objects did not carry explosives. Hamas has denied responsibility for the incidents.
Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau, said the kites were being flown by children in Gaza who were trying to find moments of childhood amid the destruction around them.
Hamas has also accused Israel of using the kite incidents as a pretext for airstrikes in central Gaza. Gaza's civil defence rescue service said three people were killed in Israeli strikes there on Sunday.
UN raises concern over civilian displacement
The UN said the latest Israeli statement was part of a broader pattern of rhetoric that has raised concerns about the treatment of civilians in Gaza.
Shamdasani said threats affecting civilian populations raised serious concerns under international human rights and humanitarian law.
The dispute comes as Israel and Hamas continue to offer conflicting accounts of the recent launches. Israel has linked them to Hamas, while the Palestinian group has rejected responsibility.
The situation has added another point of tension along the Gaza border, with concerns that further launches could trigger expanded Israeli military operations.
Conclusion
The UN has described Israel's threat to expel Gazans from areas associated with kite, drone and balloon launches as “outrageous”.
Israel has warned that it will intensify military operations if the launches continue, while Hamas denies responsibility. The dispute has renewed concerns over civilian protection and possible displacement in Gaza.
