Residents Protest at Kerem Shalom Crossing Against Gaza Kites and Foreign Troops Deployment

Dozens of residents from Israel's Gaza border area protested on Tuesday morning at the Kerem Shalom crossing, expressing anger over the increase in incendiary kites launched from Gaza and opposing the deployment of international forces in Gaza before Hamas is fully disarmed. The demonstrators later moved near a U.S. military base in southern Gaza, continuing their protest there.

The protesters fear that reconstruction efforts in Gaza could lead to Hamas regaining strength before the Israeli government fulfills its promise to dismantle the group's weapons following the October 7 attacks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Hamas that if kite attacks continue, Israel will target those responsible and evacuate civilians from affected areas.

Israeli Minister Gilad Erdan attended the protest and attempted to speak, but some demonstrators rejected his presence, accusing him of politicizing the event. Danny Rahamim, spokesperson for Kibbutz Nahal Oz near Gaza, emphasized that Hamas will not continue to rule Gaza after October 7.

The protest was organized by the "Tzav 9" movement and the "Gaza Envelope Forum," who described the demonstration as an emergency protest against plans to introduce international security forces (ISF) and begin Gaza's reconstruction before Hamas is fully disarmed. They warned that transferring security authority to foreign forces with conflicting interests threatens Israel's security and would restrict the Israel Defense Forces' operational freedom.

The organizers stressed that the presence of foreign troops would endanger national security and prematurely initiate Gaza's rebuilding without dismantling Hamas's infrastructure and weapons.