Gaza Rioters Latest Tactic: Give Israelis All-Night Headaches

In the latest tactic by Gaza Arabs to make life impossible for Israelis in the border fence area, Arabs over the past month have been running all-night “annoyance events,” with loud music, sirens, fireworks and burning tires. Speaking to Kan Hadashot, members of the group responsible for these activities said that it was intended to “constantly persecute our enemies, day and night. We will even follow them into their homes.”

The group told Kan that it was not affiliated with Hamas. “I don’t work for them,” one of the members said. “No one is paying us. We are doing this on our own.” The individual said that the money needed for the sirens, firecrackers, speakers and other noise-making apparatus was raised completely from local donations.

Israeli residents of the area have demanded that the army do something to stop the latest “attack.” The IDF said in a social media post that the noise-making was part of an overall trend in which Gaza Arabs have become more aggressive and violent in their protests. “Hamas has increased the severity of its protests over the last month,” the Kan report said. “Demonstrations that were formerly reserved for Fridays are now taking place in the afternoons and evenings. The IDF is finding it difficult to prepare for these demonstrations.”

Some 5,000 Gaza Arabs rioted Monday night at the Gaza border fence, one of the biggest crowds of rioters to ever demonstrate at the fence on a weeknight. Several rioters managed to breach the border fence and ran over to the Israeli side, where they burned down an empty IDF outpost. The rioters then scurried back to the Gaza side of the fence, where they continued to throw rocks and firebombs at IDF soldiers.

Overnight Tuesday, security officials said they arrested 16 wanted security suspects in areas in Yehudah and Shomron. The suspects were wanted for participating in rioting and throwing stones and firebombs that endangered Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. Several of the suspects were also charged with belonging to Hamas. All were being questioned on their activities by security forces.