The IDF attacked Hamas terror targets in the Gaza Strip early Monday morning in response to the continuous launching of arson balloons into Israel in recent weeks.

Dozens of incendiary and explosive balloons continued to land in southern Israel on Sunday, igniting at least 28 fires. Fortunately, most of the fires were minor and did not cause damage or injuries, Israel’s Fire and Rescue Services stated.

Israel also banned vehicle imports through the Erez Crossing into the Gaza Strip on Sunday, after having already closed the Kerem Shalom commercial crossing apart from humanitarian needs last week as well as the Gaza fishing zone and halted the transfer of fuel into Gaza.

Hamas launched multiple rockets into Israel overnight Thursday, almost destroying a home in Sderot, whose residents were miraculously saved from harm despite sleeping through the siren, in addition to previous launching of rockets and hundreds of incendiary and explosive balloons, kindling hundreds of fires which have burned thousands of dunams of agricultural land.

A so-called “ceasefire” has been in place between Israel and Hamas for years, supported by financial aid to the Gaza Strip from Qatar. Mohammed al-Emadi, the Qatari envoy to Gaza, is scheduled to personally deliver a cash payment this week, on Tuesday or Wednesday.

This will be al-Emadi’s first visit since February although the cash has arrived regularly in his absence through emissaries. Israel has threatened not to allow al-Emadi into Gaza if the launching of the arson balloons from the Strip continues.

Qatai and Egyptian officials as well as UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov have been pressuring Hamas to halt its attacks on Israel, to seemingly no avail. Hamas apparently believes that Israel is not currently interested in a large-scale military operation and is using the opportunity to make demands, ignoring the needs of Gazan citizens, whose already difficult financial plight has grown worse as Israel tightens restrictions on the Strip in response to Hamas terror.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)