Even after a ceasefire ended the most recent round of escalation, systematic launching of incendiary and IED balloons from the Gaza Strip continues.

Overview

Since the ceasefire (May 6, 2019) that ended the most recent round of escalation, there has been a gradual increase in the launching of incendiary and IED balloons from the Gaza Strip. During the past two weeks it has become intensive and systematic, and caused scores of fires near the Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip border. The balloons have been launched by a designated unit called the Sons of al-Zawari, named for the Tunisian aeronautical engineer who worked for Hamas (see below). In ITIC assessment, Hamas does not prevent arson terrorism, in order to “accustom” Israel to the fact that the ceasefire does not include the launching of incendiary and IED balloons (as well as the continuation of the return marches and their accompanying violence). Hamas’ objective is to preserve and regulate the level of violence, exerting pressure on Israel (and the Arab states) to extract concessions (including the inflow of currency, easing passage through the crossings, advancing projects in the Gaza Strip, etc.)

 

Background information

• Arson terrorism began on a small scale during the third week of the return marches in April 2018, and as the marches continued it became more sophisticated. Initially incendiary kites were launched, and later incendiary balloons as well. As time passed IEDs were attached to balloon clusters, which were meant to explode when they reached Israel. During the long span of arson terrorism attacks (more than a year), more than 2000 fires have been set in Israel (according to data from the Israel Fire and Rescue Services in the southern district and the Jewish National Fund (JNF)), burning approximately 8700 acres (JNF). Most of the fires broke out near the Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip, burning agricultural fields, natural forests and nature preserves. Arson terrorism also contributed to the disruption of daily life in the local Israeli communities and caused moral and psychological damage.
• The launching of incendiary and IED balloons recently increased. It began sporadically during the first week after the ceasefire that ended the most recent round of escalation (May 6, 2019) but increased, and during the past two weeks has become systematic and intensive (as opposed to Hamas claim of “sporadic incidents”^[1]). According to recent media reports, during the past two weeks incendiary and IED balloons have been launched almost on a daily basis (see Appendix). Since the end of the most recent round of escalation, incendiary balloons have set a minimum of 35 fires (according to data from the Israel Fire and Rescue Services). Most of the fires broke out near the Israeli communities close to the Gaza Strip, but some in more distant sites in southern Israel. The Sons of al-Zawari posted to their Facebook pages that they would continue launching balloons until the understandings [allegedly] reached are implemented, especially the full lifting of the [so-called Israeli] “siege” of the Gaza Strip (see below).

Israel’s response

• On two occasions Israel responded to the launching of incendiary and IED balloons by reducing the fishing zone off the Gaza Strip coast, to no avail.
  • On May 22, 2019, the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announced the reduction of the fishing zone to ten nautical miles in response to incendiary balloons launched from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory (COGAT’s Arabic Facebook page, May 22, 2019). According to the Israeli media, 11 fires broke out near the Gaza Strip, set by incendiary balloons. Nevertheless, the launching of incendiary and IED balloons from the Gaza Strip continued (see Appendix). On May 26, 2019, the fishing zone was restored to 15 nautical miles.
  • On May 29, 2019, the COGAT again announced the reduction of the fishing zone from 15 to ten nautical miles (COGAT’s Arabic Facebook page, May 29, 2019). The launching of incendiary balloons continued throughout the day, on three occasions setting fires in Israeli territory. One of the fires caused by an incendiary balloon was in a house in the southern Israeli city of Netivot.

Activities of the Sons of al-Zawari unit

During the past year arson terrorism has become institutionalized, evidenced by the establishment of a designated unit called the Sons of al-Zawari, which “specializes” in that type of activity (and even set up its own operations room).^[2] Apparently operatives from the unit are behind most of the launchings of incendiary and IED balloons. In ITIC assessment, Hamas is capable of stopping or increasing the scope of their activities, depending on its own considerations, as part of its strategy of regulating the pressure it exerts on Israel.

• The activities of the Sons of al-Zawari unit is accompanied by threats and psychological warfare against Israeli (especially towards Israelis living near the Gaza Strip). For example:
• On May 25, 2019, the Sons of al-Zawari’s operations room announced that their campaign against Israel would continue in every possible form until the implementation of the understandings (allegedly] reached, especially the full lifting of the “siege” of the Gaza Strip. They called for aid to Israel [in extinguishing fires] to be withheld [after a wave of fires which broke out because of a heat wave]. They also issued veiled condemnation of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Egypt for helping Israel (Sons of al-Zawari in east Khan Yunis Facebook page, May 25, 2019).
• On May 24, 2019, the Sons of al-Zawari unit in east Khan Yunis threatened Israelis in the communities near the Gaza Strip, calling on them to wait for the campaign that would be coming in the summer. They posted pictures of balloon clusters, explosives, and gas for inflating balloons for launching into Israeli territory (Sons of al-Zawari in east Khan Yunis Facebook page, May 24, 2019).

• The Sons of al-Zawari unit posted videos showing the preparation of incendiary and explosive devices for attaching to balloons (Sons of al-Zawari in east Khan Yunis and the central Gaza Strip Facebook pages, May 25 and 26, 2019).

Development of UAVs carrying warheads and their use by the Sons of al-Zawari

On May 18, 2019, the Sons of al-Zawari unit in east Khan Yunis posted threats to Israel on its Facebook page, claiming they would soon develop drones carrying warheads for use against Israel. They posted a picture of a drone under which was written, “If Allah so wills it, we will never be defeated” (Sons of al-Zawari in east Khan Yunis Facebook page, May 18, 2019). The launching of model airplanes with explosives attached was recently reported.

   
Right: Sons of al-Zawari Facebook page post warning of the development of drones carrying warheads for use against Israel (Sons of al-Zawari in east Khan Yunis Facebook page, May 18, 2019). Left: Cartoon warning of the use of drones against the IDF. The Arabic reads, “The drones of death…Hamas’ new weapon terrifies the occupation” (Sons of al-Zawari in east Khan Yunis Facebook page, May 20, 2019).

   
Operatives of the Sons of al-Zawari unit attach a model airplane to a balloon cluster (Sons of al-Zawari in the Gaza Strip Facebook page, March 25, 2019). On May 24,2019, the Israeli media reported that a model airplane had been launched from the Gaza Strip, and another was launched and exploded inside the Gaza Strip, wounding two terrorist operatives.

Appendix

Launching of incendiary and IED balloons since the end of the most recent round of escalation (May 6, 2019).

The launching of incendiary and IED balloons since the end of the most recent round of escalation can be divided into two periods: during the first week (May 6 – 14, 2019) incendiary balloons from the Gaza Strip were launched sporadically and were responsible for four fires (according to data from the Israel Fire and Rescue Services, southern district). During the next two weeks the launching became intensive, and incendiary and IED balloons set fires on almost a daily basis.

• Most of the balloons landed near the Israeli settlements near the Gaza Strip, but some of them reached sites further away in Israel’s south (an incendiary balloon set a fire in a house in the southern Israeli city of Netivot). Since the end of the most recent round of escalation, incendiary balloons have set 35 fires in Israeli territory (according to data from the Israel Fire and Rescue Services, southern district).^[3] In addition, in some instances UAVs with explosives attached landed inside the Gaza Strip or near the border fence.

Incendiary and IED balloons that set fires in Israeli territory

• May 29, 2019: An incendiary balloon launched from the Gaza Strip by terrorists set fire to the porch roof of a house in the southern Israeli city of Netivot. Firefighters extinguished the fire (Israel Fire and Rescue Services, southern district, May 29, 2019).
• May 29, 2019: An incendiary balloon launched from the Gaza Strip set a fire in a field near a community close to the Gaza Strip border (Israeli media, May 29, 2019).
• May 28, 2019: An incendiary balloon launched from the Gaza Strip set a fire in a forest in the western Negev. Incendiary balloons also passed over Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip border. It is not known where they landed (Israeli media , May 28, 2019).

• May 27, 2019: Palestinian terrorists launched incendiary balloons from the northern Gaza Strip towards the coastal communities south of the southern Israeli city of Ashqelon. No damage was reported (Israeli media, May 27, 2019).
• May 26, 2019: An incendiary balloon was launched from the northern Gaza Strip, setting a fire in a community near the border. It was extinguished by the Israel Fire and Rescue Services (Israeli media, May 26, 2019).
• May 24, 2019: Three fires were set near the Gaza Strip by incendiary balloons (Israel Fire and Rescue Services, southern district).
• May 24, 2019: Two Palestinian terrorists from the unit launching IED balloons from the Gaza Strip were wounded when a model airplane with an attached IED exploded and fell near them inside the Gaza Strip (Israeli media, May 24, 2019).
• May 23, 2019: Five fires were set near the communities near the Gaza Strip by incendiary balloons launched from the Gaza Strip. The Israel Fire and Rescue Services extinguished the fires (Israeli media, May 23, 2019).
• May 23, 2019: A model airplane carrying an IED was launched from the Gaza Strip and landed near the border security fence. No casualties or damage were reported (Israeli media, May 23, 2019).
• May 22 2019: Six fires were set in the western Negev by incendiary balloons launched from the Gaza Strip (Israel Fire and Rescue Services, southern district, May 22, 2019).
• May 20, 2019: Incendiary balloons were located near a community in the western Negev (Red Alert Facebook page, May 20, 2019)
• May 18, 2019: A cluster of balloons was located in an IDF base in the southern part of Israel. An IED was attached to the balloons. It did not detonate and was neutralized by an Israel Police Force demolitions expert. No damage were reported (Israeli media, May 19, 2019).
• May 15, 2019: Nine fires were reported in Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip during Nakba Day events, set by incendiary balloons launched from the Gaza Strip (Israeli media, May 15, 2019).

   
Fires in Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip, set by incendiary balloons, as seen from the east of Gaza City (Palestine Live Facebook page, May 15, 2019).

^[1] Suheil al-Hindi, a member of Hamas' political bureau, described the recent launchings of incendiary and IED balloons as "sporadic incidents," and denied that there was a collective decision "to return to the use of tough measures [a euphemism for launching balloons and other acts of violence] during the return marches (al-Andalou News, May 27, 2019). An examination of the number of balloons launched during the past two weeks shows that the activity is intensive and systematic and not a case of "sporadic incidents." ↑
^[2] The unit is named for Muhammad al-Zawari, a Tunisian aeronautical engineer who worked for Hamas and was killed in Sfax, in eastern Tunisia (December 15, 2016). He was born into a religious Tunisian family. After he finished school and his army service he got a civilian pilot's license and went to work for Tunisair. He was fired for his activities in the Islamist Ennahda Party and fled to Sudan. In 1991 he moved to Syria and joined Hamas' military-terrorist wing, for which he developed UAVs. ↑
^[3] That is the lowest figure, because in addition to the fires reported, smaller fires were set which were put out without the intervention of firefighters. In some instances fires reignited after they had been extinguished. ↑

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