The first wave of Palestinian airborne arson attacks on Israel from Gaza Strip using airborne incendiary devices (incendiary balloons, incendiary kites etc.) was launched in May 2018 during the 2018 Gaza border protests. These attacks took advantage of the prevailing westwards winds to propel the airborne devices to Israel."Arson Terrorism: A new method devised by Hamas during the “return marches” to attack the communities near the Gaza Strip and disrupt their daily lives", Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center The fires that ensued annihilated distinctive habitats, ecosystems, and agricultural fields.
History Since the beginning of the border riots, Palestinians increasingly utilized incendiary kites, a primitive weapon that managed to evade detection by IDF surveillance.Gazans Fly Firebombs Tied to Kites Into Israel, Sparking Several Blazes, Haaretz, 16 April 2018Gazans use kites to set fire to fields, forests in Israel, JNS, 17 April 2018Flaming kite from Gaza sets Israeli warehouse ablaze, Times of Israel, 21 April 2018Continuing kite threat puts Israeli farmers on edge, YNET, 24 April 2018 In some instances, Palestinians downed IDF surveillance drones with slingshots as the drones attempted to intercept the incendiary kites. By early May 2018, hundreds of kites had been launched into Israel, resulting in devastating consequences. Hundreds of acres of JNF forests were set ablaze, causing immediate damage estimated at half a million shekels. The long-lasting consequences were also significant, as it will take years to restore the vegetation and soil that were incinerated. On May 2, a massive fire broke out in the Be'eri Forest, destroying several hundred dunams of forest land.
From May 2018, incendiary balloons carrying pre-lit Molotov cocktails were launched from the Gaza Strip in addition to kites. These balloons have a longer range compared to the kites. When the Molotov cocktail ignites, the balloons explode in midair and set off fires in different locations. This has led to fires in a wheat field near Mefalsim and Be'eri Forest.Incendiary balloons from Gaza cause damage to Israeli fields , YNET, 7 May 2018. While launches of these balloons were reported in early April, their use escalated significantly in May.Beyond kites: ‘Fire balloons’ increasingly used to set southern Israel ablaze, Times of Israel, 4 June 2018
On May 11, the IDF deployed new, small remote-controlled drones equipped with knives on their wings to combat incendiary kites by cutting their guide lines. Reportedly, these drones downed more than 40 kites in the first two days.As Gaza protests continue, IDF employs new tactics to combat riots , The Jerusalem Post, 12 May 2018. However, this method ultimately proved ineffective.
By July 2018, incendiary kites and balloons had caused 678 fires in Israel, burning 910 hectares (2,260 acres) of woodland and 610 hectares (1,500 acres) of agricultural land. Some balloons landed in residential areas of the Eshkol Regional Council and the Sdot Negev Regional Council, though no injuries were reported. A cluster of balloons reached Beersheba, located some 40 kilometers (25 mi) from the Gaza Strip.Police investigate if ‘suspicious balloon’ in Beersheba came from Gaza, Times of Israel 31 January 2018In first, incendiary balloon lands in Be'er Sheva, YNET, Ilana Curiel and Matan Tzuri, 30 July 2018
In response to the escalating incendiary attacks, Israel took action. On July 9, 2018, Israel closed the Kerem Shalom border crossing,בתגובה להתמשכות טרור ההצתות: מעבר כרם שלום נסגר ("In response to the continuing terror of the arson: the Kerem Shalom crossing was closed") and on July 16, the transfer of gas and fuel via the crossing was stopped.בתגובה להצתות: ישראל סוגרת את כרם שלום גם למעבר גז ודלק ("In response to arson: Israel also closes Kerem Shalom for gas and fuel"), Walla!, July 16, 2018
Continued airborne arson attacks were reported in 2019, 2020"Hamas' Wave of Environmental Terrorism", September 9, 2020, IDF (in August 2020 fuel shipments to Gaza Strip were suspended again, in response of the resumed arson attacks. This caused the shut down of the only Gaza Strip power plant."Gaza’s lone power plant shuts down amid tensions with Israel", Al Jazeera, August 18, 2020), and 2021. In July 2021 Israel has reduced the fishing zone off Gaza by half, from 12 nautical miles to 6, in response to incendiary balloons launched into the Eshkol Regional Council area."Israel halves Gaza fishing zone over incendiary balloon fires", Al Jazeera, July 25, 2021.
To combat the new form of terrorism, the only reliable method was constant monitoring and putting out the fires by hand. In February 2020, the Light Blade (Lahav or), a new laser weapon system was deployed as an operational experiment to the Gaza border against kites and balloons.
Motivation A member of the Sons of Zouari group, responsible for many arson attacks, said in an interview: "We, as Palestinians, do not recognize these fields as belonging to the enemy. These are our lands, and the fields planted on them are not theirs by right. These are our lands, and we have the right to them. We say to them: We will not let you sow our lands and enjoy them. We will burn your fields, which you harvest to pay for the bullets that you use to shoot children and peaceful unarmed demonstrators." (Activists Use "Firebomb Kites" to Set Fire to Israeli Fields and Houses: Hundreds of Kites Will Be Flown toward the Enemies - Scenes from Gaza "Return March", video clip)
Environmental damage The resulting fires caused harm to wildlife, unique habitats, and ecosystems.Burning kites from Gaza damage Israeli farms, wildlife, Associated Press, June 20, 2018 While agricultural fields are likely to recover relatively quickly, the same cannot be said for wildlife in protected areas. In 2018, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority reported that approximately 10 square kilometers of conservation areas were affected. Although much of the flora is expected to return within a year, the complete recovery of the ecosystem will take considerably longer. Reportedly, both larger animals such as foxes, porcupines, and jackals, as well as smaller creatures like rodents, snakes, and insects, have been killed in significant numbers. Since the reserves adjacent to Gaza are relatively small, the impact of the fires on these areas is disproportionately large. Concerns have been raised about the declining diversity of flora following the fires and the encroachment of invasive species into the recovering areas.
Among the protected areas affected were the Be'eri Badlands Nature Reserve, Karmia Sands Nature Reserve, and Besor Stream Nature Reserve."Swathes of Land in Israel’s South Sustained Extensive Damage Due to Gaza Rocket Fire, Arson Balloons – Haarertz", July 6, 2021a repost from the paywalled Jun 22, 2021 article by Ha'aretz
Another significant concern is air pollution resulting from the massive fires.Doug Weir, "Israeli protected areas seem doomed to be the latest environmental victim of the ongoing conflict", Conflict and Environment Observatory, July 11, 2018 In addition to the smoke produced by the arsons, the burning of tires during the protests has led to the release of toxic chemicals into the air. Furthermore, burning forests contribute to increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere, thereby exacerbating the greenhouse effect.
See also Palestinian stone-throwing Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel Gaza envelope Environmental terrorism Gaza war
References
External links
"Falcon sent from Gaza used for fire terrorism", ynet, July 18, 2018