The IDF said it carried out a second airstrike in the Gaza Strip on Saturday afternoon, targeting a cell launching incendiary balloons into Israel from the southern Palestinian enclave. The strike came hours after the military targeted a cell launching balloons in the northern Gaza Strip.
The airstrikes came amid reports that the Strip’s Hamas rulers were considering a long-term ceasefire deal with Israel.
Earlier in the day, firefighters battled two blazes in the Gaza border area started by flaming balloons. On Friday there were 26 fires started by incendiary devices flown from Gaza.
Since March 30, southern Israel has experienced hundreds of fires as a result of incendiary kites and balloons flown over the border from Gaza. Over 7,000 acres of land have been burned, causing millions of shekels in damages, according to Israeli officials.
Recently, balloons have been found farther and farther from the Gaza Strip, including as far away as the southern city of Beersheba.
Israel has struggled to counter the arson assault and has in some cases fired at Palestinians preparing to launch incendiaries, killing or injuring those involved.
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