Israel Gives Hamas Ultimatum: Stop the Balloons and Kites, or Targeted Killings Will Resume

Israel updated the United States overnight (between Sunday and Monday) on its decision to give Hamas a deadline of just a few days to stop launching drones, balloons, and kites from Gaza. The Israeli message: "If the launches continue, the IDF will move to carry out targeted killings of those responsible and evacuate civilians from the areas where the launches are taking place."

Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a statement this morning: "Prime Minister Netanyahu and I instructed the IDF to adopt a policy of zero containment and zero tolerance toward the launching of kites and balloons from Gaza into Negev communities. If the launches continue, powerful measures will be taken to put an end to the phenomenon. A balloon or kite will be treated the same as a drone, with or without explosives."

"I am not Yoav Gallant, and I will not allow the policy from before October 7 to repeat itself, not from the air and not through approaches to the fence. Unlike the repeated raid strategy he led during the war, which allowed Hamas to return again and again to the same places, we worked together with the IDF to build a strong security zone, cleared of residents and terrorist infrastructure, with the IDF controlling the area to protect the soldiers and the communities, and we will not allow it to be bypassed in any way."

Hamas was quick to respond to the ultimatum, saying that it is "not involved in launching the kites near the Gaza border; these are bored teenagers and children." Israel maintains that even if teenagers are involved, the instructions came from Hamas operatives on the ground.

Meanwhile, the IDF spokesperson said this morning that the IDF struck a Nukhba platoon commander in Hamas's military wing yesterday in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza. The terrorist infiltrated Israeli territory during the October 7 massacre. According to the IDF, throughout the war, the terrorist advanced terror plans against forces operating in the Gaza Strip. His activities posed an immediate threat to Israeli forces.

In addition, overnight (between Sunday and Monday), the IDF struck two terrorists in the Deir al-Balah area of central Gaza. The strike killed Muhammad Abd al-Nasser Gabr Abu Assad, a Nukhba terrorist in Hamas's military wing who infiltrated Israeli territory during the October 7 massacre.

Recently, the terrorists advanced terror plans against IDF forces and Israeli civilians and attempted to restore the organization's capabilities, while systematically violating the ceasefire.