Amid a near-total communication blackout in an unprecedented move late at night on Friday, 27 October, Gaza's 2.2 million population was subjected to intense bombardment by Israel. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that their air and ground forces intensified their attacks and hit "150 underground targets in North Gaza overnight."
The IDF's attacks came a day after Gaza's health ministry announced that over 7,000 Palestinians have been killed so far since the Israeli airstrikes commenced around 20 days ago.
According to the IDF statement, the sites hit included "terror tunnels, underground combat spaces and additional underground infrastructure." Furthermore, several "Hamas terrorists" were killed, as per the IDF.
Meanwhile, CEO of SpaceX Elon Musk stated on Saturday, 28 October, that through his Starlink project, he will provide "connectivity to internationally recognised aid organisations in Gaza." He was responding to a post by American politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on X.
On Friday, the Palestinian telecom provider Paltel confirmed that the internet service in Gaza Strip was cut off by Israeli bombardment. This was reportedly followed by a heavy round of airstrikes.
"Dear people in our beloved homeland, we regret announcing a complete severance of all communications and Internet services with the Gaza Strip in light of the ongoing aggression," Paltel said in a statement translated by NBC News.
Blackout in Gaza – What We Know So Far
Medical professionals in Gaza had raised an alarm days ago that they have been functioning under a "complete siege" without any water, food, and electricity.
On Friday night, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) issued a statement that the disruption in communication services would impact emergency medical services in Gaza.
PRCS stated that they have "completely lost contact with the operations room in Gaza Strip and all our teams operating there due to the Israeli authorities cutting off all landline, cellular and internet communications."
PRCS' statement.
(Photo: palestineredcrescent/Instagram)
"We are deeply concerned about the ability of our teams to continue providing their emergency medical services, especially since this disruption affects the central emergency number '101' and hinders the arrival of ambulance vehicles to the wounded and injured," PRCS added.
As per several reports, the American NBC network put out the following message from a member of its news crew in Gaza: "The situation we're in is difficult, so difficult and very dangerous," they wrote. "We're being extensively shelled by artillery and by air."
Internet providers and cell towers require significant power to run. Israel had already cut power to Gaza after the Hamas attack, and Gaza's sole power plant ran out of fuel on 11 October.
Israeli air strikes reportedly hit near the vicinity of both Al-Shifa Hospital and the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza according to Al Jazeera's correspondent.
Israel has targeted several other hospitals across Gaza in their recent assault on the besieged strip, according to Middle East Eye.
Palestinian journalists have also posted about white phosphorus bombs being dropped in Gaza amid the communications blackout on Friday night.
"This is terrifying. There is no connection or internet in Gaza. Pray for us," wrote Palestinian journalist Hind Khoudary.
'We Can't Reach Anyone'
Palestinians outside of Gaza have also been unable to reach their relatives. Noted Palestinian writer Mohammed El-Kurd, posted on X (formerly Twitter): "No one I know in Gaza is answering my texts."
He also posted a translation of a phone call from Gaza, of a local who was able to do so owing to data roaming on his Turkish SIM card. He said, "We're in Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. We have no idea what's happening. There's no connection, no Wi-Fi, no reporters. We're cut off from everything. People can't call ambulance or civil defense. We are being bombed in an unprecedented manner."
"....You can't reach anyone, even if they are only 500 meters away. Ambulance and medics are begging reporters to let them know which streets are getting bombarded to go rescue the victims but the reporters themselves don't know where anything is happening. We are trying to report the news but we have no idea what's happening," he added.
Meanwhile, hundreds of mostly Jewish protesters have been arrested following a demonstration at New York's Grand Central Station in support of a ceasefire in Gaza.
The New York Police Department stated that at least 200 people had been arrested at the sit-in, which was called by Jewish Voice for Peace.
Jewish Voice for Peace protested last night.
(Photo: Rana Ayyub/X)
UNICEF, WHO Lose Contact With Workers on Ground
Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, also posted on X that they have lost touch with their staff in Gaza and rest of their humanitarian partners on ground.
"This siege makes me gravely concerned for their safety and the immediate health risks of vulnerable patients," he wrote.
Similarly, stating that they too have lost contact with their employees, UNICEF's Executive Director also put out a statement saying, "I'm extremely concerned about their safety and another night of unspeakable horror for one million children in Gaza."
UNICEF's Statement.
(Photo: X)
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