Telecommunication and internet services in the besieged Gaza Strip have remained completely cut off for eight consecutive days; the lengthiest outage since 7 October.
According to NetBlocks, a website that monitors global communication networks, this continuous disruption is the most prolonged since Israel launched a deadly onslaught on the Gaza Strip last year.
Palestinian telecommunication companies, PalTel and Ooredoo Palestine, announced last week the total suspension of communication and internet services to Gaza, due to the ongoing Israeli shelling across the Strip.
In a statement, PalTel said: “We apologise for announcing a complete interruption of all mobile, landline, and internet services to Gaza due to the ongoing aggression.”
Similarly, Ooredoo issued a statement saying: “With the continued aggression on our beloved Gaza, the main feed lines for telecommunication and internet companies have been damaged, resulting in a complete halt of our services in the south and central Gaza Strip.”
This is the fifth time since 7 October that telecom services in the entire enclave have been cut off.
Ihab Sbeih, undersecretary of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, confirmed that communication links have once again been completely disrupted in both the central and southern regions of Gaza. However, Ooredoo continues to maintain operations in the northern region.
He went on to highlight the challenges faced by PalTel, the provider of landline services in these affected areas. PalTel’s access to the region has been hindered by the absence of secure routes, the difficulty of movement due to extensive destruction of infrastructure and the scarcity of spare parts.
Sbeih further emphasised that the communication sector has been persistently targeted during Israeli occupation forces, resulting in damage exceeding 80 per cent. Technical crews have also been directly targeted, he explained, despite prior coordination through international institutions.
Additionally, PalTel reported the tragic loss of two of its team members, Nader Abu Hajaj and Baha’a Al-Rayyes, who were killed while repairing the communication network in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza. The Israeli occupation deliberately targeted the company’s vehicle with a direct shell.
The extensive damage inflicted by the aggression on infrastructure, coupled with the fuel shortage due to the blockade, as well as harm to lines, networks, and transmission towers, have contributed to frequent service interruptions and strain on the network. This has resulted in weakened signals across various areas of the Gaza Strip.
This has left people unable to call for help after air strikes and emergency crews left with no way to find out where their crews need to be dispatched.
Source: Middle East Monitor
