Israel troops fired tear gas and live rounds at thousands of Palestinian protesters on the Gaza-Israel border on Friday. No injuries or deaths were reported as of noon.
Over 40 Palestinians have been killed and thousands have been wounded since the weekly demonstrations on the border started, on March 30.
Shortly before noon, an unarmed Palestinian breached the security fence near Kibbuz Zikim, less than a mile from the border. He was apprehended by IDF soldiers and turned over to the Shin Bet security agency for questioning.
Hundreds of protesters arrived near the border carrying kites armed with incendiary devices. The military said dozens of Hamas operatives were among the protesters and were urging them to send kites across the border.
Hamas operatives were also spotted amassing tires near the border in perpetration to setting them on fire. Since the riots began, terrorists have been using thick smoke as cover to conceal attempts to breach the security fence, plant explosives on the border and try carrying out terrorist attacks against the IDF.
Over the past few weeks, kite terrorism has become a serious threat to the Israeli communities near the border, sparking dozens of fires when hitting trees and farmlands. Hundreds of acres have already been lost to terrorist fires.
On Wednesday, a large fire sparked by incendiary kites reduced part of the forest bordering Kibbutz Be'eri, 3 miles from Gaza, to ash. It was the largest fire since the terrorist "kite campaign" began.
The IDF on Friday warned security coordinators in the border-adjacent communities not to go near these kites, as they may also be carrying explosives.
Hadashot evening news reported Thursday that the IDF was considering using harsher measures against Palestinian rioters flying incendiary kites across the border, including firing at their direction or using drones to down the kites in mid-air.
