Conflict & Security
Gaza children stop flying kites after Israel threat
Children in Gaza are being told to stop flying homemade kites after Israel warned it would intensify military operations if kites, drones or balloons continue to cross the border.
Ten-year-old Ahmed Hamdouna, who has been displaced to Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, said his father stopped him from flying kites because of Israel's threats. Eleven-year-old Yamen al-Mubayyed, also displaced to Deir el-Balah, said children make kites from wood, paper and string because there are no toys, amusement parks or footballs.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz had warned Hamas on Sunday that Israel would step up operations in Gaza if launches of kites, drones or balloons toward Israel continued. Israel accuses Hamas of using children and says the kites could pose a threat, years after incendiary kites and balloons sparked fires in Israeli farmland.
Hamas has denied responsibility for the recent kites. A series of kites have flown into southern Israel in recent days. No explosives were detected, but at least one kite had a political message on it.
An official from the US-led Board of Peace overseeing the Gaza ceasefire said Wednesday that “all militant activity in Gaza must stop, including the flying of kites”. The official also said Israel must comply with the ceasefire.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said popular committees in Gaza's displacement camps were trying to prevent children from flying kites because they feared the Israeli military could target them. Parents in Gaza said they were afraid the activity could bring danger, even as some struggled to stop children from playing.
The US-backed ceasefire came into effect in October, but Israel has continued attacks in Gaza, saying it is targeting militants. Israeli army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said Tuesday that Israel would pursue Gaza's demilitarisation “using all necessary means”.
Update
Children displaced in Deir el-Balah said parents stopped them from flying kites because of Israel's threats.
A Hamas spokesman said popular committees in Gaza displacement camps were trying to stop children from flying kites because of fears they could be targeted by the Israeli military.
Parents in Gaza said they feared kite-flying could draw danger but struggled to stop children from playing.
Children described making kites from scraps because toys and play spaces are scarce in Gaza.
Source note: AFP news report published on 26 August 2026 at 10:41:23 UTC.
Update
The UN rights office described Israeli threats over kite flying as unacceptable, with spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani calling a threat of expulsion over children's kite flying outrageous.
Gaza health authorities under Hamas said Israeli strikes since the October ceasefire have killed 1,288 Palestinians.
Gaza authorities said Israeli fire killed at least five people, including two children, on Monday.
Netanyahu earlier rejected the latest stage in the Gaza peace plan after Hamas said it had agreed to disarm.
Netanyahu told Jared Kushner that a US general should verify the destruction of Hamas weapons, and the Board of Peace later assured him Israeli troops need not leave Gaza until Hamas is completely demilitarised.
Source note: AFP news report published on 25 August 2026 at 20:44:40 UTC.
Update
An official on President Donald Trump's Board of Peace said Israel must also comply with the ceasefire and that military action must be limited to genuine and imminent threats.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hamas on Sunday that Israel would step up operations in Gaza if it launched kites, drones or balloons.
The warning followed reports of several kites found across the Gaza border in southern Israel.
The latest kites are not known to have carried explosives, while Israeli media reported at least one had a political message.
Hamas political bureau member Basem Naim criticised the warning conveyed through the Board of Peace.
Source note: AFP news report published on 25 August 2026 at 20:29:49 UTC.
Update
An official on President Donald Trump's Board of Peace said all militant activity in Gaza must stop, including kite flying.
The official said the message had been conveyed directly through an established mechanism.
The warning followed an Israeli threat of retaliatory strikes.
Source note: AFP news report published on 25 August 2026 at 20:14:28 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
Responsibility for the recent kite launches remains disputed.
The level of threat posed by the recent kites is disputed; no explosives were detected, while Israel says they could pose a threat.
Source
AFP news report published on .