Communication Infrastructure in Gaza Disrupted Amidst Israeli-Hamas Conflict

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Early on Wednesday, another extensive disruption of internet and telecommunication services was reported by Palestinian residents in the Gaza Strip. This occurred shortly after Israeli airstrikes demolished residential buildings near Gaza City, and as Israeli ground forces continued their conflict with Hamas militants within the blockaded region.

Aid organizations have cautioned that such communication blackouts have significantly hampered their relief efforts in an already desperate situation. More than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants have been displaced, and essential resources are in short supply as the war enters its fourth week. This ongoing conflict was sparked by a violent incursion by Hamas into southern Israel on October 7.

For the first time since the war began, foreign nationals were observed crossing from Gaza into Egypt via the Rafah border crossing on Wednesday. In recent weeks, hundreds have assembled at this crossing, but none were allowed to pass due to disputes among Egypt, Israel, and Hamas. Up to this point, only four hostages released by Hamas had been permitted to leave Gaza. An additional captive was subsequently liberated by Israeli forces.

Egypt’s state-controlled media disclosed that more than 80 injured Palestinians would be transferred from Gaza to Egypt for medical care on Wednesday. Ambulances were seen entering from Egypt into the Rafah crossing, and a makeshift hospital has been established in the neighboring town of Sheikh Zuweid.

The Palestinian telecommunications firm Paltel noted a “total interruption” of internet and mobile services in the region, making it the second major communication cutoff for Gaza residents. Advocacy group NetBlocks.org also verified a near-complete telecommunications blackout, corroborating the disruption experienced over the past weekend.

The International Committee of the Red Cross stressed that this lack of communication will interfere with the activities of emergency services and impede civilians from seeking refuge. Jessica Moussan, a spokesperson for the ICRC, remarked that even the critical act of dialing an ambulance becomes an impossibility under such conditions.

On a related note, a wave of airstrikes obliterated apartment complexes in a refugee camp close to Gaza City on Tuesday. Emergency crews hurriedly sifted through the debris to rescue survivors. The exact number of casualties remains undetermined, but Dr. Atef Al-Kahlot, the director of a nearby hospital, stated that it is in the hundreds.

Israel explained that the strike was aimed at senior Hamas military official Ibrahim Biari and resulted in the demolition of a command center and an underground tunnel system, in addition to other militant casualties. These reports could not be independently verified.

As the war progresses, Israeli forces are advancing towards Gaza City’s periphery. Israel claims that the city is a hub for Hamas’ military operations, which include extensive tunnel networks. Meanwhile, almost 800,000 Palestinians have migrated southwards, heeding Israeli evacuation orders, yet hundreds of thousands still remain in the north.

Essential supplies in Gaza are dwindling, aggravated by the blockade imposed since the war’s inception. While Israel has permitted some humanitarian aid through, it is insufficient according to aid organizations. The Israeli government has also prevented fuel imports, leading to a sweeping blackout and jeopardizing hospital operations.

In recent military developments, nine Israeli soldiers were reported killed in northern Gaza, elevating the total military casualties to 11 since ground operations commenced. Israel asserts its aim to dismantle Hamas’ governing capabilities but has not elaborated on future governance plans for Gaza.

In a Congressional testimony, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken opined that a revitalized Palestinian Authority should assume control and security responsibilities in Gaza, a suggestion fraught with complexities given the Authority’s fraught history in the region.

The war’s toll has been devastating, with over 8,500 Palestinians, primarily women and minors, reported dead. The Israeli death toll stands at over 1,400, mainly civilians killed during the initial attack by Hamas. The conflict is also stirring tensions in other parts of the Middle East, with skirmishes reported between Israel and Hezbollah, and between Israel and Iranian-backed forces in Syria.

This report includes contributions from Magdy in Cairo, Wafaa Shurafa in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, and Amy Teibel in Jerusalem.

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• U.S. Position on the Israel-Hamas Conflict
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