Israel Fire And Rescue Services Attempt Fire Control Along Gaza Border

Several fires broke out in different locations within Kissufim and Be’eri forests, along the Gaza border due to incendiary balloons, Israeli media reported on Monday.

Three main fires, as well as 10 smaller fires, broke out in the Eshkol Regional Council and Sdot Negev Regional Council forests.

Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) and Israel Fire and Rescue Services firefighting crews are attempting to control the fires.

According to Israel Fire and Rescue Services, nine of the fires in Eshkol Regional Council reported were caused by incendiary balloons. The cause of one fire in Sdot Negev Regional Council is still undetermined.

Israel Fire and Rescue Services added the fires are all relatively small and under control.

Eshkol Regional Council head Gadi Yarkoni responded to the incendiary balloons attack, stating the Palestinian’s terrorist groups’ “audacity to reignite the balloon terror attacks and light up our forests must be stopped.”

“If not stopped today, we will find ourselves extinguishing fires for another summer,” Yarkoni said. “What starts with acceptance of incendiary balloons, ends with rocket attacks and firing towards IDF soldiers,” he added.

Yarkoni concluded by saying he “expects the government to send an immediate message to these terror groups.”

On Sunday night, explosive balloons were reportedly launched from the Gaza Strip towards southern Israel. A number of fires were reported on Monday morning there, although it is as of yet unclear if the fires were caused by incendiary balloons.

Despite Egypt closing the Rafah Crossing in both directions, reportedly in response to the violent riots in which Shmueli was injured, the crossings with Israel remained open on Monday and no indication was made that plans to transfer Qatari funds to Gaza would be disrupted.

Trucks loaded with construction iron, diesel, gasoline and gas entered the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom Crossing on Monday, according to Palestinian reports.

The right-wing Im Tirtzu organization announced on Monday that it was organizing a protest in front of the Kerem Shalom Crossing, located in the southern Gaza Strip, at 5 a.m. on Wednesday to protest the continued transfer of goods into the Gaza Strip.