Incendiary Balloons Launched From Gaza To Israel Sunday Night, Egypt Closes Rafah Border Today

The Palestinian-Egyptian border at Rafah. (Wikimedia Commons/gloucester2gaza)

JAKARTA - Incendiary balloons were reportedly launched in Gaza on Sunday evening, Palestinian media sources reported. IDF soldiers in the area reportedly heard explosions due to balloons as well, according to Walla reporter Amir Bohbot.

This comes after the recent escalation between Israel and the Hamas-controlled coastal enclave, which left an Israeli border policeman seriously injured in a gunshot, citing The Jerusalem Post Monday, August 23.

This condition comes amid ongoing negotiations to reach an agreement, regarding the easing of borders and permission to disburse Qatari aid funds for Hamas, which Israel has held back.

Separately, Egypt will close the Rafah crossing on its border with the Gaza Strip until further notice starting this Monday, an Egyptian security source said.

Hamas, the Palestinian faction that controls Gaza, said it had been notified by Egypt of the decision to close the crossings in both directions, without providing details, citing Reuters.

According to two Egyptian security sources, the closure was for security reasons, following an escalation on Saturday between Israel and Hamas, with Israeli aircraft launching airstrikes into Gaza, after gunfire crossed Gaza's border with Israel earlier in the day.

Rafah is the only crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, where an Israeli-led blockade has restricted the movement of goods and people for years.

To note, Egypt had opened the crossing indefinitely in February, in what was described as an attempt to push negotiations between the then-meeting Palestinian factions in Cairo.

Not only that, Egypt kept crossings open during and after the 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas in May, sending aid and construction materials via Rafah after helping broker a ceasefire between the two sides.