Restoration of Internet and Phone Services in Gaza Following Intense Airstrikes

Two days subsequent to a sudden cessation of mobile and internet connectivity in the majority of Gaza, coinciding with heavy Israeli artillery and air raids, communication networks began to be reinstated on Sunday.

This development was greeted with relief by Gaza’s residents, who had been subjected to a communications blackout since late Friday. This blackout occurred in the backdrop of Israel intensifying its ground operations and conducting aerial assaults, which lit up the night sky in bursts of vivid orange. A select number of Palestinians with international SIM cards or satellite communication devices assumed the role of informal reporters.

Telecommunications providers, internet freedom watchdog NetBlocks.org, and on-the-ground verifications confirmed by Sunday morning that many in Gaza had regained access to phone and internet services.

In the context of a prolonged Israeli blockade, the situation for Palestinians in Gaza had become increasingly grim. The cutoff of social media platforms, an essential channel for disseminating news and sharing distressing experiences, only exacerbated the residents’ feelings of despair and vulnerability. Israel justified its military operations as a reaction to a violent cross-border assault by Hamas on October 7.

Hind al-Khoudary, a 28-year-old Palestinian journalist, described the severity of the airstrikes as unparalleled in her experience, surpassing even prior conflicts between Israel and Hamas.

With connectivity virtually nonexistent, residents on Saturday navigated their war-torn neighborhoods to ascertain the well-being of relatives. Medical professionals followed the sounds of bombardment, unable to rely on emergency calls. Tragic scenes unfolded as civilians extracted casualties from debris.

Freelance photojournalist Ashraf Abu Amra, located in northern Gaza, highlighted the dire need for international intervention to save Gaza’s beleaguered populace.

Journalists with resourceful means searched throughout the 360-square-kilometer territory for even the most unreliable internet connectivity. Mohammed Abdel Rahman, another journalist based in northern Gaza, monitored Israeli airstrikes incessantly, noting concentrated activity along Gaza’s northern border with Israel.

As the aerial bombardment temporarily decreased on Saturday morning, residents seized the opportunity to visit the homes of friends and family whom they had been unable to contact.

Hind al-Khoudary reported from Shifa Hospital, the largest in Gaza, where medical staff worked tirelessly, in spite of dwindling resources, to care for the influx of wounded, many arriving from the recently bombed Shati refugee camp.

Health agencies and international organizations have warned that the communication blackout has deepened the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Doctors Without Borders acknowledged its inability to coordinate with its team in the region since Friday evening, underscoring the critical nature of the situation.

International aid bodies reported significant challenges in reaching their personnel, with Philippe Lazzarini, head of the U.N. Palestinian Refugee Agency, issuing a public letter expressing profound concern for the safety of his staff in Gaza.

Reported by Kullab from Baghdad and Magdy from Cairo, with contributions from Isabel DeBre in Jerusalem for Big Big News.

For more coverage: AP Full Coverage.

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More about Gaza Communication Restoration Amid Airstrikes

• AP Full Coverage on Israel-Gaza Conflict
• NetBlocks.org Report on Internet Outages
• Doctors Without Borders Statement
• United Nations Palestinian Refugee Agency Updates
• Telecommunications Providers in Gaza
• Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
• Journalists Reporting from Gaza