US-led Gaza peace board warns Hamas against kite launches amid Israeli threats

US-led Gaza peace board warns Hamas against kite launches amid Israeli threats

The US-led board supervising the Gaza peace agreement issued a stern warning to Hamas on Tuesday against flying kites, following Israeli threats of retaliatory strikes that have alarmed communities on both sides of the border.

An official from President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, established by UN Security Council resolution in November 2025, said all militant activity in Gaza must cease. "We have conveyed this message directly through the established mechanism," the official said on condition of anonymity. "Israel, too, must comply with the ceasefire. Military action cannot extend beyond responding to genuine and imminent threats."

Kites discovered near Israeli border

The warning comes after at least 10 kites launched from Gaza were recently discovered near Israeli border communities including Nahal Oz and Kfar Aza. One kite carried the message "We will never calm down," though none contained explosives or incendiary materials.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Sunday that Israel would intensify operations in Gaza if kite, drone or balloon launches continue. The threat has revived painful memories in southern Israeli communities traumatised by the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that killed approximately 1,200 people.

Historical context of incendiary kite campaigns

The episode also recalls the incendiary kite campaigns of previous years. Between 2018 and 2021, such devices launched from Gaza burned thousands of acres of farmland and nature reserves in southern Israel, causing millions of dollars in damage. During the 2018 Great March of Return protests alone, more than 600 incendiary kites and balloons were launched, igniting 412 crop and forest fires by mid-June of that year.

International reactions

Hamas political bureau member Basem Naim condemned the Board of Peace warning as outrageous. "Is it conceivable that attempts to appease the war criminal Netanyahu have led them to describe innocent children's activities as armed activities, while Netanyahu continues to kill and destroy daily despite the agreement?" he said.

The United Nations rights office also expressed alarm at the Israeli threats. "On the threat of expulsion due to children's kite flying, I hope we can all agree that this is outrageous," spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva.

Impact on Gaza families

In Gaza, parents and local authorities have begun warning families to stop children from flying kites. Popular committees coordinating with Hamas authorities have issued alerts as fear spreads that a child's kite could trigger an attack on residential neighbourhoods.

Ongoing tensions under ceasefire

The Board of Peace was established to oversee the ceasefire that took effect on October 10, 2025, following a peace plan signed the previous day. Since then, tensions have persisted. Gaza health authorities report that Israeli strikes have killed 1,288 Palestinians since the ceasefire began, figures the UN generally considers reliable. Israel has expanded slightly further into Gaza territory and maintained military operations.

Netanyahu, facing legislative elections scheduled for October 27, 2026, rejected the latest stage of the Gaza peace plan earlier this month after Hamas announced it had agreed to disarm. The prime minister expressed scepticism and told Jared Kushner, Trump's special envoy for peace appointed in February 2026, that a US general should verify the destruction of all Hamas weapons.

In response, the Board of Peace revised its position, assuring Netanyahu that Israeli forces need not withdraw from Gaza until complete Hamas demilitarisation is verified. The board had previously called for a phased Israeli withdrawal.

On Monday, Gaza authorities reported that Israeli fire killed at least five people, including two children, despite the ceasefire agreement.