WorldThe Israeli government is threatening to increase "targeted strikes" on Gaza unless Hamas takes action to prevent kites used by Palestinians, including children, from flying toward Israel. Omar Halawa, 13, says flying his kite is the only thing he looks forward to in war-torn Gaza.For Omar Halawa, 13, flying his kite is the only thing he enjoys doing in war-torn GazaYasmine Hassan · CBC News · Posted: Aug 25, 2026 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.Palestinian children fly a kite at a tent camp in Nuseirat, in central Gaza, on July 31. The Israeli prime minister has issued a warning over the 'threat of drones, balloons and kites launched from the Gaza Strip.' (Abdel Kareem Hana/The Associated Press)The Israeli government is threatening to increase "targeted strikes" on Gaza unless Hamas takes action to prevent kites used by Palestinians, including children, from flying toward Israel.In a statement posted to social media platform X on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he and Defence Minister Israel Katz held a "situational assessment" on Sunday evening to discuss the “threat of drones, balloons and kites launched from the Gaza Strip toward Israel."He said the meeting was also attended by Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, chief of the general staff; the head of the National Security Council; and senior officials of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).Netanyahu went on to say that Israel was warning Hamas that if the launches did not cease immediately, "the IDF will act to increase targeted strikes against those responsible for the launches and will evacuate the population from areas used as launch sites for kites, drones, and balloons.""Israel will not allow the Hamas terrorist organization or any other element in the Gaza Strip to threaten our communities again and compromise our citizen’s sense of security," he said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz held a situational assessment this evening regarding the threat of drones, balloons and kites launched from the Gaza Strip toward Israel. The discussion was attended by Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal…—IsraeliPMBut for Omar Halawa, 13, flying a kite by the shore in Khan Younis is his only reprieve during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip."We fly kites so we can change our moods," he told CBC freelance videographer Mohamed El Saife. "There is nothing left in Gaza to make us happy."Omar said he's been building kites himself, making the fringe on the sides as well as the tail. He said he's aware of the warnings Netanyahu has placed on those who fly them. "We don't use any missiles, we are children," he said. "We don’t deal with Hamas, we want to live."As Israel’s military advances its yellow line, Gazans fear they’re being pushed to the seaIsrael opens criminal probes over killings of 6-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, Gaza rescue workersIn the period before the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel that sparked the war, Israel said burning kites and balloons were sent from Gaza, causing fires and other damage. Israeli officials now say several kites were found in a kibbutz near Gaza. No weapons or dangerous materials were attached.Netanyahu's latest move comes as Israeli strikes and tank fire killed at least four people on Monday, including two children, hospital officials said, a week after a U.S. delegation asked Israel to draw down attacks.The strikes hit the Bureij and Shati refugee camps, Khan Younis and a tent in Deir al-Balah. Two children, aged four and 10, were killed, along with two men.The Oct. 7 attack on Israel killed some 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed more than 73,422 Palestinians, according to the enclave's Health Ministry, which says since a ceasefire took effect last October, Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 1,288 Palestinians.A displaced Palestinian boy prepares a kite amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, in February 2024. (Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters)In a post on the Telegram messaging platform, Hamas said Netanyahu's statements about children flying kites "confirm a premeditated intention to continue the aggression and proceed with the plans of displacement and genocide."The group said the recent strikes by Israel were a "further escalation in committing brutal crimes" against Palestinians and a "blatant disregard" of international law.It also demanded that the Trump administration and mediators condemn Israel's actions and compel it to "adhere to the roadmap leading to a genuine ceasefire in Gaza."Israeli strikes kill two in Gaza and destroy warehouses storing medicineOmar said he's now afraid to fly kites in case a strike happens because of him, and "everyone would be killed around me.... I don’t want to die, there is no security."His mother, Yasmin Halawa, 38, said her son lost everything and can't afford to also lose his kite. "He lost his school, his soccer game, his swimming," she said. "So he decided to make a kite."Halawa said she's worried that more bans will come down on children's activities because of security issues raised by Israel.As the sun set, the children continued flying their kites, this time near their tents rather than on the shore of the Mediterranean.ABOUT THE AUTHORYasmine Hassan is a producer in CBC's Ottawa bureau. From there, she covers developments inside Gaza and the West Bank related to the Israel-Hamas war. If you have a story idea, send news tips in English or Arabic to yasmine.hassan@cbc.ca.With files from Mohamed El Saife and The Associated Press