Israeli Defense Minister Katz Vows Zero Tolerance for Gaza Terror Kites, Criticizes Predecessor Galant

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Katz sharply criticized his predecessor, Yoav Galant, following Galant's remarks that the resurgence of terror kites from Gaza signals the government's failure to dismantle Hamas. Katz emphasized that he will not allow Hamas to continue launching incendiary kites and balloons from the Gaza Strip into southern Israeli communities. He stated that Prime Minister Netanyahu and he have instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to adopt a policy of zero tolerance and zero containment regarding these attacks.

Katz warned that if the kite and balloon launches persist, the IDF will take strong measures to end the phenomenon, treating these devices with the same severity as drones, regardless of whether they carry explosives. He explicitly distanced himself from Galant's approach before October 7, asserting he will not permit a repeat of past policies that allowed Hamas to exploit gaps in Israel's defenses, either from the air or near the border fences.

Katz criticized Galant's repeated raids strategy during the previous conflict, which he said enabled Hamas to regain positions repeatedly. Instead, Katz said he and the IDF have established a strong security zone free of residents and terrorist infrastructure, with full IDF control to protect soldiers and communities. Katz reiterated his directive to act decisively against the kite-launching phenomenon.

Earlier, Galant told Radio 103FM that the presence of kites in the Gaza envelope area clearly demonstrates the government's failure to dismantle Hamas, which was the main goal of the recent war. He expressed concern that Israel's restrained response to the kite attacks signals a worrying lack of resolve.