The fire kites appear to be the brainchild of young Palestinians, but Hamas is believed to have co-opted the operation. Photo / Getty Images
The fire kites appear to be the brainchild of young Palestinians, but Hamas is believed to have co-opted the operation. Photo / Getty Images
The burning charge fell from the helium balloon and landed 1.6km from Israel's border with Gaza.
Within moments its flame had spread through the dry field. By the time Rami Gold and other volunteer Israeli firefighters reached the site, they were facing a wall of fire.
"The wind changed directionand the fire charged towards us. It was almost impossible to escape."
Palestinians from Gaza have started more than 1000 fires like this since April, sending a flotilla of burning kites and helium balloons over the Israeli border fence and into farmland beyond.
Israel's Government initially saw them as a minor irritant and a less dangerous alternative to the rockets often fired by Hamas and other Islamist factions. But after weeks of unrelenting fires, and pressure from Israelis living near the border, the Government has now declared the balloons to be an unbearable provocation that must be met firmly.
It is estimated more than 2832ha of fields have been torched since the barrage began, causing more than $1.9 million in damage.
Fire crews have been dragged in from across Israel to fight up to 30 blazes a day. Israeli forces are also now targeting young Palestinian men with air strikes as they launch the balloons from Gaza.
The decision means some of the world's most sophisticated drones and warplanes are firing towards people inflating condoms or white "I love you" balloons.
