Suspected incendiary balloon causes large fire in Ein HaBesor YNET
10.06.18
Residents report seeing balloons coming out of Gaza minutes before massive fire breaks out in moshav in the Eshkol Regional Council; firefighters, security personnel and farmers work to keep flames away from greenhouses.
Matan Tzuri
One of the largest fires over the past six months broke out Saturday evening in Ein HaBesor, a moshav in the Eshkol Regional Council.
The fire was possibly caused from an incendiary balloon flown from Gaza, as minutes before the fire broke out balloons were seen being blown from the strip.
Large firefighting forces, security personnel and farmers from the area are working to stop the fire from reaching the moshav’s greenhouses. The fire is spreading quickly, and the residents have asked for reinforcements.
One resident told Ynet that “One of the residents of the area saw an incendiary balloon land and within minutes the fire broke out. We rushed to the place and tried to gain control of the fire, but since this is a very dry area, the fire simply spread. We’re worried we might need the help of firefighting planes. A lot of people want to come and help, but it is very dangerous.”
Eli Cohen, a spokesman of the southern district’s fire department, said that “since this is a landfill fire, it could burn for several days and the smoke will continue spreading at the wind’s direction.”
He noted this was the third landfill fire in the southern district over the past two days. “The findings in previous fires pointing to it not being caused by a balloon. The conclusions will be released at the end of the investigation,” Cohen said.
Earlier Saturday, a fire broke out as a result of an incendiary balloon in the Kissufim area. It was put out fairly quickly.
Friday saw several fires caused by incendiary devices from the strip on top of violent clashes on the border in which some 20,000 Palestinians took part and three were killed.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement that in response to “grenades and explosive devices” hurled at troops during the protests, an IAF aircraft carried out two airstrikes on Hamas militant positions in the Gaza Strip. The statement added that some protesters crossed the fence to throw grenades on Israeli territory before returning to the strip.
Residents of kibbutz Kerem Shalom, which is also close to the Gaza border, closed themselves up in their homes on Friday because of the heavy smoke that spread throughout the area.
As a result of the violent rioting, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman decided Saturday to scale down the Gaza Strip’s fishing zone from nine to six nautical miles.
Lieberman held consultations with senior IDF and Shin Bet officials as well as with the coordinator of government activities in the territories (COGAT) and instructed them to be prepared for “additional steps if the violent incidents continue.”
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5364964,00.html
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Incendiary balloons spark fires in Israeli communities near Gaza – Maan
Oct. 1, 2018
JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Five fires broke out, on Sunday, in Israeli communities surrounding the besieged Gaza Strip as incendiary balloons landed in the area.
According to Hebrew-language news outlets, Israeli firefighting crews arrived to various areas in Israeli communities surrounding Gaza that caught fire and managed to gain control of the flames, which were later extinguished.
Sources added that the five fires were a result of incendiary balloons launched by Palestinians from Gaza.
Palestinians in Gaza view the incendiary kites as a form of protest against Israel’s nearly 12-year blockade of Gaza and for Palestinian refugees right of return to their homes and lands which are now known as Israel.
http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=781278
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Israel seals off road, incendiary balloons spark fires MAAN
Sept. 30, 2018
JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli police sealed off route 35, on Sunday, near the Jabaati junction in southern Israel due to incendiary balloons landing on the road after being launched from the besieged Gaza Strip.
According to Hebrew-language news outlets, Israeli police arrived at the scene along with explosive experts to examine suspicious objects that landed on the road, which later were reported to be incendiary balloons.
Israeli police requested drivers to take an alternative route while removing the incendiary balloons from the area.
Sources added that the sealed off road was later reopened.
Additionally, sources confirmed that two fires broke out near two various Israeli communities surrounding Gaza, one being the illegal Israeli settlement of Kissufim.
The fires were reported to be a result of incendiary balloons launched from Gaza, however, were managed and extinguished by firefighting crews.
Palestinians in Gaza view the incendiary kites as a form of protest against Israel’s nearly 12-year blockade of Gaza and for Palestinian refugees right of return to their homes and lands which are now known as Israel.
http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=781275
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Suspicious balloon found near Ashkelon as Gaza riots continue – YNET
Sappers close off main highway between Ashkelon and Kiryat Gat as balloon suspected of being affixed with flammable object lands in area rarely affected by incendiary balloon phenomenon; incident comes shortly after firefighters battle with four fires near the border fence and after some 4,000 Palestinians participate in violent riots in northern Gaza.
Ynet writers|Published: 10.02.18
A suspicious balloon was discovered overnight Monday near the Givati Junction between Ashkelon and Kiryat Gat—a distant area in which incendiary balloons launched from Gaza have rarely landed.
Route 232 was temporarily closed while sappers arrived at the scene to investigate the device.
Earlier on Monday, firefighters battled with four fires near the Gaza border region that were caused by incendiary balloons.
…. The police also located an incendiary balloon overnight Sunday near the Ligad industrial zone in Modi’in, prompting sappers to naturalize the flammable object. Neither casualties nor damage were reported.
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5362023,00.html
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Incendiary balloon located in Modi’in – YNET
After an average of 12 incendiary balloons a day was documented in southern Israel, the flammable object lands in the central of the country; sappers neutralize the balloon; neither casualties nor damage are reported.
Eli Senyor|Published: 10.01.18
The police located an incendiary balloon overnight Sunday near the Ligad industrial zone in Modi’in, prompting sappers to naturalize the flammable object. Neither casualties nor damage were reported.
On Wednesday, a balloon attached to a piece of cloth apparently meant for arson was lactated in Jerusalem.
In July, a flammable balloon that was flown from Gaza landed in Be’er Sheva, raising fears that terrorists are increasing the range of the devices that have caused numerous fires in Israeli border communities.
Police sappers were called to the Ringelblum Street in the Negev desert’s largest city to remove the balloon.
“It was a balloon that had a suspicious object attached to it. In the majority of cases it relates to an incendiary device, and every object like this must be treated as suspicious with a high-risk capacity,” a police statement said.
Local authorities in Gaza border communities have issued new and updated safety guidelines in recent days, in light of an increase in terrorist attacks involving balloons attached to explosives being launched from the strip. Recently, an average of 12 fires a day were caused by incendiary balloons, most of them in the Be’eri and Kissufim forests or in open fields in the Eshkol and Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Councils.
Gaza region residents have been informed that police and IDF officials are concerned with the recent escalation in incendiary balloon terrorism, fearing it can lead to casualties since now terrorists are launching balloons attached to improvised explosive devices.
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5361508,00.html
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12 incendiary balloon fires a day on average YNET
IDF sources meet with security officials in Gaza vicinity communities in light of recent escalation of incendiary balloon terrorism; Security official: ‘Hamas has released its restrains and is heading towards another round of fighting.’
Matan Tzuri |Published: 09.29.18 , 19:57
Local authorities in Gaza border communities have issued new and updated safety guidelines in recent days, in light of an increase in terrorist attacks involving balloons attached to explosives being launched from Gaza. Recently, an average of 12 fires a day were caused by incendiary balloons, most of them in the Be’eri and Kissufim forests or in open fields in the Eshkol and Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Councils.
Gaza region residents have been informed that police and IDF officials are concerned with the recent escalation in incendiary balloon terrorism, fearing it can lead to casualties since now terrorists are launching balloons attached to improvised explosive devices.
Although the explosives charges are not powerful, the explosives themselves and the inflammatory materials can certainly cause serious injuries.
“The incendiary balloons terrorism has escalated in the past few days and now Palestinians are launching balloons day and night. If you recognize something suspicious on the ground, do not touch it and keep away. We recommend that parents explain this to their children as well,” an announcement circulated in a community near Gaza read.
Despite the ongoing riots along the Gaza security fence, about two weeks ago, as fewer incendiary balloon incidents were reported, it seemed as if calm has been achieved.
Incendiary balloon lands in Kissufim forest
Hamas appeared to have successfully restrained, to a certain extent, the terrorist squads involved in launching these balloons, in light of the progress made in the cease-fire talks with Israel.
But ever since the cease-fire talks halted, during the past two weeks the balloon terrorism has resumed and, with the addition of explosive devices, became even more dangerous.
Security forces situated throughout Gaza vicinity communities were recently briefed by the IDF, and were told that the region has become more volatile and dangerous.
“Our feeling is that we are facing yet another round of escalation,” said a security official positioned in region.
“After at least five short rounds of escalation, there was a certain calm, as very few incendiary balloons incidents were reported. Now, after a few days, the incendiary balloon terrorism resumed, sending a clear message: Hamas has loosened the reins and is now authorizing the operation of incendiary balloon terrorist squads,” the security official added.
The communities’ firefighting team has resumed their emergency work procedures, as JNF employees and the Israel Nature and National Parks Protection Authority’s personnel are on call.
On Saturday morning, highway 4 was blocked for traffic near Yad Mordechai Junction due to a suspicious object, which probably landed there as a result of a balloon flown from the Gaza Strip.
A sapper arrived at the scene and neutralized the object.
Later on Saturday, a fire caused by an incendiary balloon broke out near Nahal Oz, a kibbutz in southern Israel.
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5360540,00.html