Gazans send ignited kites over the border with Israel as part of the weekly Friday protests at the southern border on May 4, 2018. Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/ Flash90.

JNS.org – The Israeli army struck military targets in Gaza in response to repeat attempted arson attacks across the Gaza-Israel border.

Palestinian terrorists have been flying burning kites loaded with fuel into Israel in the attempt to start large brush fires at the start of Israel’s dry summer season. On such kite sent into Israel by Gazans on Friday started a fire close to Kibbutz Kissufim. On Wednesday, dozens of acres of grasslands and agricultural fields were destroyed.

The Israel Defense Forces reported that its target was close to the security fence separating Israel and Gaza, where the “March of Return” riots initiated by the Hamas terror organization have been occurring for the past several weeks.

“The IDF will continue to operate against terror activity above and below land, and holds the Hamas terror organization responsible for all terror activities in the Gaza strip,” according to an army statement released on Sunday.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said the goal of the “March of Return” events, in which tens of thousands of Gazans have participated weekly on Fridays since March 30, is to break down the fence and take over Jerusalem.

“We will return to our Jerusalem and our villages, all our people will return to this blessed land,” he told crowds on April 9. “Palestine and Jerusalem belong to us. We will break the walls of the blockade, remove the occupation entity and return to all of Palestine.”