Hamas sent children to fly kites into Israel, IDF says, reviving Gaza border fears

Four kites discovered near Gaza border communities since Friday have shaken residents and revived painful memories of October 7, but initial IDF assessments indicate they were launched by children and teenagers acting on instructions from Hamas commanders, with no explosives or incendiary devices attached. The kites, believed to have been sent from northern Gaza, carried messages in Arabic. One bore the phrase “We will never calm down,” apparently intended as a psychological message. The IDF Southern Command is closely monitoring the phenomenon and says it understands the effect on residents’ sense of security. At the same time, security officials are stressing that the launches should not be confused with a concrete military threat. Initial examinations found no explosives, charges or sabotage devices attached to the kites. Officials said children and teenagers appear to have been launching them under Hamas direction.