The United Nations has strongly condemned Israel's threat to evacuate Palestinians from areas in the Gaza Strip where children have been flying kites, amid escalating tensions between the two sides.
Speaking to the press on Tuesday, Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN human rights office, stressed: “Regarding the threat of evacuation over children flying kites, I hope we all agree that this is truly shocking.”
Earlier on Sunday, Israel warned Hamas that it would step up military operations if kites, drones, or balloons continued to be launched from Gaza, and said it would target those responsible. The warning came amid a spate of non-incendiary kites drifting into southern Israel over the past month, recalling memories of the fire-bearing kites and balloons launched from Gaza in 2018 — actions Palestinians say were protests against Israel's blockade of the territory.
In a joint statement on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said: “Israel warns Hamas that if launches toward Israel do not stop immediately,” Israeli forces “will act to intensify operations targeting those responsible.” They also declared they would “evacuate residents from areas from which kites, drones, and balloons are launched.”
Under that pressure, popular committees in Gaza, coordinating with the Hamas-run authorities, on Monday called on parents to stop children from flying kites, saying they acted “to protect the lives of innocent children.”
Umm Mohammed, a mother in Gaza City, told Reuters: “Every summer, my son, Ahmed, and the neighborhood kids fly kites for fun. But now I won't allow it anymore — no more.”
Meanwhile, Basem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau, dismissed Israel's warning over kite flying. He questioned: “Can it be that efforts to appease the war criminal Netanyahu lead them to describe innocent children's activities as armed activity, while Netanyahu continues killing and destroying every day despite the agreement?”
The tensions come as the ceasefire in Gaza has failed to stop Israeli attacks. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 1,280 Palestinians have been killed since the deal took effect last October.
