Israeli escalation in the Gaza Strip has returned to a pattern resembling open warfare. Over the past three days, Israeli forces have resumed bombardment, displacement, destruction and targeted killings in densely populated areas sheltering displaced Palestinians. Israel has adopted the label “kite terrorism” for unarmed kites flown by children in Gaza that land in settlements surrounding the Strip. The latest escalation came a day after Israeli media and security and political institutions agreed to promote the term. It has killed an average of about seven Palestinians a day, while threatening or destroying three residential and commercial areas daily. Further bombardment and targeted killings appear to be in preparation. In one of the deadliest attacks in recent days, Israeli forces targeted civilians and children playing football near Kamal Adwan Hospital in Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, killing five and wounding 15, most of them children. Israeli warplanes also continued the systematic destruction of Gaza’s remaining urban fabric. Over two days, heavy missiles struck eight targets, including a residential building surrounded by 20 tents housing dozens of families. Its ground floor contained commercial warehouses and the largest drinking water desalination plant in northern Sheikh Radwan. As Israel promoted the “kite terrorism” narrative to justify its escalation, the Board of Peace adopted the same account, describing the kites as “a militant activity” that must be stopped. Other strikes destroyed commercial and aid warehouses in central Al-Zawaida. In Al-Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City, Israeli aircraft bombed Al-Asqalan Mosque, a structure made of tarpaulin and wood. Heavy bombs also partially destroyed dozens of nearby homes. In Deir Al-Balah, Israeli forces destroyed the historic Abu Salim Mosque, one of the city’s oldest and most important mosques. As Israel promoted the “kite terrorism” narrative to justify its escalation, the Board of Peace adopted the same account, describing the kites as “a militant activity” that must be stopped. “All militant activity in Gaza must stop, including the flying of kites. We have conveyed this message directly through the established mechanism,” a board official, who requested anonymity, told international and Israeli media. Meanwhile, mediators resumed promoting a roadmap that Israel has not agreed to. Nickolay Mladenov, the board’s representative in Gaza, briefed the UN Security Council on the latest developments in the Sharm Al-Sheikh agreement. Mladenov said Hamas and other factions had agreed for the first time to “hand over their weapons and to transfer full governing authority – both civilian and security – to a transitional administration recognized by the United Nations.” He said the roadmap required the disarmament of all categories of weapons in Gaza, with no gray area or exemptions. He added that the Israeli withdrawal will take place in stages after verification of disarmament and will be sequential and reciprocal, while implementation would be performance-based, not timeline-based. According to Mladenov, the National Committee for Gaza Administration would consist of independent Palestinian professionals governing during the transition. Yet Mladenov’s briefing, described by Israeli media as an “attack” for demanding an end to the bombing, has not changed conditions on the ground. Israeli media quickly returned to claims of a “plan in Gaza to open fire on settlements surrounding the Strip,” warning that rockets could be launched “in the evening hours” on Wednesday. This is an edited translation for a report published in Arabic.
