Israeli authorities have set up a special unit to deal with the dozens of incendiary kites that continue to be launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, Al Ghad newspaper reported.

Local Israeli media said that a small team has been working on intercepting the exact launching point of the kites, Al Ghad newspaper reported.

Once a kite has been intercepted, the team would launch a drone to drop it within 40 seconds, before it has time to cause any damage.

The kites, which have firebombs tied to them, caused extensive damage to forests and fields near the border, according to Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who said that “some 200 kites caused 198 fires, in which 9,000 dunams were burned.”

Since the Great Return March kicked off on 30 March, the Gaza border area has seen nearly 300 fires. Thousands of acres of crops and woodland went up in flames as a result.

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said that any Palestinians or Hamas commanders who launch incendiary kites at Israel will be killed.

“In light of the fact that Hamas is the one allowing the shooting and the sending of the kites, we need to return to preventative assassinations. Those who send the [incendiary] kites and Hamas commanders must be a target for preventative killings,” said Erdan.