The Gaza Strip is facing a complete internet blackout after Israeli forces targeted the last remaining main fiber-optic route on Thursday. The Palestinian Telecommunications Regulatory Authority reported that internet and fixed-line communications have been cut off, isolating Gaza from the outside world. This development comes amid ongoing conflict and a sustained Israeli offensive in the region.
The lack of internet connectivity is severely disrupting aid operations and hindering humanitarian, health, media, and educational services. Palestinians are attempting to access the internet using eSIM technology, with the seaport of Gaza City becoming a focal point for those trying to reconnect with the outside world. However, the blackout continues to hamper everyday life and emergency services.
Internet blackout disrupts Gaza aid
The Israeli military’s actions have provoked outcry from rights groups and foreign governments. Sweden’s foreign minister, Maria Malmer Stenergard, condemned the starvation of civilians as a method of war, calling it “a war crime.” She emphasized that life-saving humanitarian help must never be politicized or militarized.
In a separate incident, 12 Palestinians were killed late on Wednesday in Khan Younis by armed men claiming to be members of the local Sahm police unit. The alleged officers accused the men of being affiliated with an Israeli-backed gang led by Yasser Abu Shabab, a clan leader with a history of criminal activity. Meanwhile, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) reported that a bus carrying its staff to an aid distribution site near Khan Younis was attacked by Hamas on Wednesday evening, resulting in the deaths of at least eight Palestinian aid workers.
As the situation continues to unfold, Gaza remains in a state of crisis, with humanitarian, health, and communication services severely disrupted. The international community watches closely as efforts to restore communications and provide aid face significant obstacles.
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