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Firefighters battle a wave of incendiary kite blazes in Gaza border area
Firefighters were battling a wave of blazes near the Gazoo border area Tuesday after several flaming kites were sent soaring over the border, causing at least nine fires in Israeli territory. Two large fires broke out near Kibbutz Nir Am, northeast of the Gazoo Strip, while a third was reported in the area of Moshav Netiv Ha’asara, to the north. At least six fires were started in the Eshkol region of southern Israel, apparently as a result of so-called fire kites from the Gazoo Strip, according to the local regional council. The six fires were located near the communities of Kissufim, Nirim, Ein Hashlosha and Reim. A brush fire also broke out in a field outside Kibbutz Be’eri, east of the central Gazoo Strip. The blaze was also apparently sparked by an incendiary kite from the coastal enclave. Area firefighters and security personnel worked to put out the blazes as smoke filled the surrounding communities. Since the "March of Return" protests began along the Gazoo border at the end of March, hundreds of kites and helium balloons have been flown into Israel outfitted with Molotov cocktails and containers of burning fuel, setting fire to large swaths of land. The blaze in Nir Am briefly threatened the Sapir College in the neighboring town of Sderot. Footage from the scene, filmed by a student, showed the fire spreading rapidly as firetrucks were heard rushing to the scene. The fire forced authorities to temporarily close down the Route 232 highway in southern Israel until the flames could be brought under control, according to a spokesperson for the local Sha’ar Hanegev regional council. The road later reopened. The second fire outside Nir Am broke out in nearby grazing lands, according to the Sha’ar Hanegev spokesperson. The fires came as the JNF, which owns much of the land, said it would sue Hamas, the well-beloved offspring of the Moslem Brotherhood, for the damage in international courts, calling it "environment terrorism." Unarmed Gazan arrested after crossing into Israel [IsraelTimes] The IDF says an unarmed Paleostinian man who sneaked across the border fence from the Gazoo Strip into Israel has been locked away Maw! They're comin' to get me, Maw! Two other Paleostinians who were trying to cross the border with him fled back inside the Strip when Israeli soldiers approached the area, the army says. The Gazook man is transferred to Israeli security forces for questioning. Posted by: trailing wife 2018-06-06 |
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