KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (Hype News) – In the aftermath of a severe Israeli bombardment, the Gaza Strip experienced a sudden and extensive loss of cellular and internet services for two days. However, a positive development emerged on Sunday as communication systems were gradually brought back online.
The blackout began late on a Friday as Israeli forces expanded their ground operations and launched intense airstrikes, creating bright and furious orange flashes that illuminated the night sky. During this challenging period, only a handful of Palestinians with international SIM cards or satellite phones managed to convey information to the outside world.
By Sunday morning, there was a notable improvement in the situation, with phone and internet communications being restored to many residents in Gaza. This information was confirmed by telecommunications providers in the area, the Internet-access advocacy group NetBlocks.org, and firsthand accounts on the ground.
For weeks, the people of Gaza had been living under a total Israeli siege, and the blackout further heightened the sense of isolation. Social media had served as a crucial lifeline for Palestinians to share their harrowing experiences and access news from the region. With the loss of these communication channels, many residents were consumed by feelings of hopelessness and fear.
The Israeli military had announced a new phase in its ongoing conflict, which had begun in response to a deadly cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7. Israeli troops had also entered Gaza, escalating the situation.
Hind al-Khoudary, a 28-year-old Palestinian journalist, described the massive airstrikes as surpassing anything she had witnessed in the past three weeks or during the four previous Israel-Hamas conflicts. The intensity of the bombardment left many residents shocked.
On Saturday, despite the perilous conditions, residents risked their lives to check on loved ones in heavily bombarded neighborhoods. Medics found themselves unable to respond to distress calls due to the communication breakdown. Survivors, determined to save lives, resorted to extracting the deceased from the rubble using their bare hands and transporting them in cars and donkey-drawn carts.
The situation was dire, with Anas al-Sharif, a freelance journalist, describing it as a catastrophe, as entire families remained trapped under the rubble.
Freelance photojournalist Ashraf Abu Amra, reached via WhatsApp in northern Gaza, shared the atmosphere of panic and confusion that surrounded him. The gradual restoration of communication services offers a glimmer of hope in a region marked by ongoing conflict and hardship.
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