The Gaza Strip, currently the scene of intense fighting between Israel and Hamas, has suffered its third total communications outage since the start of the conflict. This development further complicates the communication of events during the ongoing military offensive in the region.
On Sunday, Israel’s military announced that it had encircled Gaza City, effectively dividing the besieged coastal strip into two sections, north Gaza and south Gaza. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, addressing reporters, described this as a “significant stage” in Israel’s ongoing conflict with the Hamas militant group. Israeli media reports suggest that Israeli troops are expected to enter Gaza City within the next 48 hours.
Amidst these developments, Gaza’s internet access was once again disrupted, resulting in a “new collapse in connectivity” across the region. This report was confirmed by Palestinian telecom company Paltel and the internet access advocacy group NetBlocks.org. The first communications outage lasted for 36 hours, and the second outage persisted for several hours.
Earlier on Sunday, Israeli warplanes struck two central Gaza refugee camps, resulting in at least 53 casualties and dozens of injuries, as reported by health officials. Despite calls from the United States for temporary cease-fires to deliver aid to those affected, Israel has signaled its intention to continue its offensive against Hamas.
The Gaza Health Ministry revealed that more than 9,700 Palestinians have lost their lives in the conflict, with the number expected to rise as Israeli troops advance into densely populated urban areas. Overnight airstrikes targeted the Maghazi refugee camp, resulting in at least 40 fatalities and 34 injuries, according to the Health Ministry. The camp is located in the area where Israel’s military had urged Palestinian civilians to seek refuge as it intensified its operations in the northern region.
Another airstrike hit a house near a school in the Bureji refugee camp in central Gaza, resulting in at least 13 fatalities, as reported by staff at Al-Aqsa Hospital. The deteriorating situation is leading to increasing concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and its impact on civilians.
The U.N. office for humanitarian affairs has reported that over half of Gaza’s remaining residents, estimated at around 300,000, are now seeking shelter in U.N.-run facilities. Food, water, and fuel for generators used to power hospitals and other essential facilities are running out, with no fuel shipments received in almost a month.
This conflict has escalated tensions in the region, leading to clashes between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group along their border. In south Lebanon, four civilians, including three children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Sunday. Hezbollah responded by firing Grad rockets into Israel from southern Lebanon.
In the occupied West Bank, at least two Palestinians were shot and killed during an Israeli arrest raid in Abu Dis, near Jerusalem, as tensions continue to escalate in the area.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is leading diplomatic efforts to address the crisis, met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other regional leaders to discuss possible solutions. However, the situation remains highly complex, with urgent calls for a cease-fire to protect civilians and provide humanitarian aid.
The conflict shows no sign of abating, and efforts to de-escalate the situation are ongoing, with the international community increasingly alarmed by the civilian casualties and humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.