Report: Gaza Border Residents to Ask U.N. for Help on Balloon Terror

New “understandings” reached between Israel and Hamas at the end of last week did not hold up over the weekend, as attempted terror attacks and balloon attacks continued. At least 15 fires were reported over the weekend, all caused by terror balloons. On Friday, one of the balloon clusters was found carrying a Hebrew-language book that was hollowed out and stuffed with explosives. Security officials estimated that the intention was for the book to detach from the balloon cluster and for it to be picked up by someone and explode.

In the wake of the ongoing attacks, heads of local authorities and councils in the Gaza border area said they would appeal to the United Nations to demand international protection from Hamas terror, Channel 12 reported. Residents and community leaders are reportedly fed up with the lack of action by the government against the ongoing terror, and are demanding that it end. Reports Friday said that Israel had informed Hamas that if the balloon terror does not end, Israel would move militarily against Hamas.

After a week in which over 100 fires broke out due to Gaza terror balloons, United Nations sources said Friday that Israel and Hamas had reached a new round of “understandings,” Ha’aretz reported. As part of the deal, Israel will once again allow diesel fuel shipments into Gaza, and the fishing area where Gazans can sail off the coast will be expanded to 15 nautical miles. In addition, Israel will return to Gaza 20 fishing boats that have been seized in recent weeks for violating fishing limits. And, Israel has promised to refrain from using live fire when shooting at rioters on the Gaza border.

In return, Hamas has committed to attempt to restrain terrorists from dispatching terror balloons. It will also work to “soften the character” of the Friday riots at the Gaza border, the sources said. The report has not been confirmed by Israel or Hamas.

Israel suspended shipments of diesel oil to Gaza beginning Tuesday in response to the ongoing balloon terror attacks. On Tuesday, 20 fires broke out in Israel due to the incendiary balloons dispatched by Gaza terrorists. It was the largest number of fires that broke out in one day in at least three months – until Thursday, officials said, when even more fires broke out.

In addition, riots continued along the Gaza border Friday, with at least 7,000 Gaza Arab participating. Several Gaza Arabs were caught Shabbos attempting to enter Israel. They were arrested and found to be carrying weapons, on their way to carry out a terror attack in Israel.