At least three groups of incendiary and explosive balloons were launched from the Gaza Strip on Monday, announced the terror group Ahfad al-Nasser on Monday, warning that Israel had 72 hours to send medical supplies for the coronavirus outbreak into Gaza, or they would make the Gaza envelope “hell.”
The launches of incendiary balloons have become more sporadic in recent months. The last time balloon launches were announced by the balloon units was in late April. The time before that was in February. While they threatened launches before the Knesset elections in March, no launches were announced. Countless incendiary and explosive balloons have been launched by Gaza’s terrorists in recent years. The balloons sometimes have books or toys attached to lure children and have sparked large wildfires in the past. Israel has threatened multiple times to strike the Strip in response to continued use of the balloons.
The Hamas-controlled Health Ministry announced on Saturday the first death of a Palestinian infected with coronavirus in the Gaza Strip.
The victim was identified as 77-year-old Fadila Muhammad Abu Raida, a resident of Khan Yunis.
Some 35 new cases were reported in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, bringing the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Gaza to 55. In late April, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said the Gaza Strip only had 93 ventilators. A special team formed by Israel’s Health Ministry has facilitated the entry of medical equipment and the establishment of a field hospital for coronavirus patients in the Strip. An outbreak in the densely-populated Strip could lead to a humanitarian crisis.
Khaled Abu Toameh contributed to this report.
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