IDF Downs Gaza Drone Near Southern Border

Residents of Gaza border communities were urged to keep their eyes on the skies, after the IDF announced that it had downed a drone dispatched from Gaza over southern Israel. It’s not clear who exactly sent the drone, and the army did not say if it was equipped with weapons, cameras, or other items.

It would not have been the first time a drone was dispatched from Gaza. Several were found in March and April, and in the past at least one has been found to contain weapons. The drone downed by the IDF was in contrast to terror balloons, which are dispatched on a daily basis by Gaza terrorists, and are not usually downed by the IDF.

Over the weekend, Kan News reported that Israel had in recent days authorized a series of “gestures” to make life easier for Gazans. Last month, Israel authorized the import of metal wire for use by Gaza fisherman – until now considered “dual use” goods whose import to Gaza was prohibited. The wire are meant to enable fishermen to strengthen their nets. “Dual-use” goods can be used either for their stated purpose, or to construct weapons, and given its experience, Israel tends to ban the import of such goods.

But there are many other dual use goods that Israel is planning to allow into Gaza, Kan News said, including fertilizer which could be used for helping crops grow, as well as for making bombs. Other items include increased amounts of aluminum pots and pans, metal doors, and other items.

Also agreed to by Israel, the report said, was an increase in the amount of goods Gaza could export, as well as increased numbers of merchants from Gaza who could get permits to enter Israel. 5,000 such permits will be issued, the report said.

The change in policy is seen as one of the conditions that Israel agreed to last month, after reaching understandings with Hamas on quiet, after Gaza terror groups fired some 700 missiles at Israel in a single weekend.