Nine fires broke out near the Gaza Strip border on Monday which fire investigators attribute to explosive-laden balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave.
This comes amid heightened tensions between Israel and Gaza-based militant groups after firefighting teams scrambled to put out several blazes in the Eshkol Regional Council.
2 View gallery
Fires sparked in Israel's Kisufim along the Gaza border due to explosive-laden balloons
(Photo: KKL)
Palestinian resistance organizations announced they will hold another anti-Israeli rally along the southern border with Israel under the moniker of "opposition to the Israeli siege and the delay in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip."
Palestinian groups are seeking to escalate violence against the Jewish state despite Israel and the UN approving a mechanism to transfer Qatari aid funds to the impoverished seaside territory.
Meanwhile, Egypt security sources announced the north African country will close the Rafah crossing on its border with the Gaza Strip until further notice.
Hamas, the Palestinian faction that controls Gaza, said it had been informed by Egypt of the decision to shut the crossing in both directions, without giving details.
2 View gallery
Palestinian protesters congregate along the Israeli border over the weekend
(Photo: AP)
According to two Egyptian security sources, the closure was made for security reasons following an escalation on Saturday between Israel and Hamas, with Israeli aircraft striking sites in Gaza after gunfire across Gaza's border with Israel earlier in the day.
Rafah is the sole crossing between Egypt and Gaza, where an Israeli-led blockade has placed severe restrictions on the movement of goods and people for year
The Saudi-based Al-Arabiya news network said that the new sanctions have come in response to Hamas conduct along the border with Israel.
In addition, media in the Gaza Strip reported that trucks carrying iron for construction purposes entered through the Kerem Shalom Border Crossing for the first time since the 11-day conflict between Israel and the enclave's terrorist groups. The iron, it is claimed, is being transported for use by the UN agency UNRWA.