In the latest development during the Israel-Hamas conflict, Gaza has witnessed a complete loss of communication for the third time. Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced that it has encircled Gaza City and the division of the besieged coastal strip into two parts.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, addressing reporters, described this as a “significant stage” in Israel’s ongoing campaign against the Hamas militant group that governs Gaza. According to Israeli media reports, troops were anticipated to enter Gaza City within the next 48 hours. Following nightfall, powerful explosions were witnessed in northern Gaza. This “collapse in connectivity” was reported by the internet access advocacy group NetBlocks.org and was corroborated by Palestinian telecom company Paltel. It further complicated efforts to relay information regarding the latest phase of the military offensive.
Gaza city: Complete loss of telecom communication
Juliette Touma, spokesperson for the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency, informed that communication had been lost with the majority of the UNRWA team members. The first Gaza outage endured for 36 hours, followed by a second one lasting only a few hours.
Earlier on Sunday, Israeli airstrikes targeted two refugee camps in central Gaza, resulting in the deaths of at least 53 people and leaving dozens injured. These camps were located in the area where Israel’s military had advised Palestinian civilians to seek refuge. Israel expressed its intent to continue its offensive against Hamas, despite calls from the United States for even brief pauses to provide aid to the desperate civilian population.
Death toll in Gaza
The Gaza Health Ministry, under the control of Hamas, reported that over the course of nearly a month of warfare in Gaza, more than 9,700 Palestinians have lost their lives, including over 4,000 children and minors. This tragic toll is expected to increase as Israeli forces advance into densely populated urban neighborhoods.
Among the airstrikes, the Maghazi refugee camp was struck, resulting in the deaths of at least 40 people and injuries to 34 others, according to the Health Ministry.
The Israeli military reported that 29 of its soldiers have lost their lives during the ground operation in the conflict.
Antony Blinken’s meeting with Palestinian President Abbas
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, following discussions with Arab foreign ministers in Jordan the previous day.
Abbas, who has had no authority in Gaza since Hamas took control in 2007, stated that the Palestinian Authority would only assume control of Gaza as part of a “comprehensive political solution” that would establish an independent state, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem – territories that Israel seized in the 1967 war. This stance appeared to narrow the already limited options for governing Gaza if Hamas were to be removed. Peace talks with Israel had broken down over a decade ago, and Israel’s government is predominantly composed of opponents of Palestinian statehood.
Subsequently, Blinken visited Iraq to meet with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to discuss the need to prevent the conflict from spreading and efforts to increase the flow of aid to Gaza, which he characterized as “grossly insufficient,” at approximately 100 truckloads per day. Jordan also contributed to humanitarian efforts by airdropping medical aid to a field hospital in northern Gaza, as mentioned by King Abdullah II on social media.
In an earlier part of his diplomatic tour, Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who reiterated his stance that there would be “no cease-fire without the return of our abductees.” Arab leaders have called for an immediate cease-fire, but Blinken expressed concerns that such an approach might allow Hamas to regroup and repeat previous actions, as it did on October 7, when it launched an attack from Gaza into southern Israel, sparking the current conflict.
(With AP Inputs)