GENEVA, Switzerland — The United Nations on Tuesday slammed Israel’s threat to evacuate people from areas where kites, drones and balloons are launched in Gaza, lamenting “unacceptable rhetoric” coming from Israeli leaders.

“On the threat of expulsion due to children’s kite flying, I hope we can all agree that this is outrageous,” UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva.

Israel warned Hamas on Sunday that it would step up operations in Gaza if launches of kites, drones and balloons toward Israel continued, after a recent increase in such incidents. Hamas has denied responsibility.

Israeli media reported that four kites were found in communities near the Gaza border on Saturday and one was shot down by the army on Sunday, bringing the total number recovered in recent days to around 10.

On Monday, Channel 12 reported that nine kites were launched from the Gaza Strip toward IDF troops in June, but the incidents were neither publicly reported at the time nor met with an Israeli response.

The incidents have revived memories of waves of incendiary kites and balloons launched from Gaza in previous years, some of which sparked massive fires in southern Israel.

According to the reports, the Israeli military believes Hamas was behind the launches, which did........

© The Times of Israel