Connectivity in Gaza is being re-established in the wake of Prime Minister Netanyahu's caution regarding a 'prolonged and challenging' conflict
The Israeli military has declared the commencement of a new stage in the conflict in Gaza with the initiation of its ground invasion in the area.
After a telecommunications blackout in Gaza lasting over 24 hours imposed by Israel, internet connectivity is now being restored in the Gaza Strip, as reported by the global network monitor Netblocks on Sunday.
This development coincides with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s warning on Saturday that the conflict with Hamas fighters will be “prolonged and challenging.” Netblocks shared real-time network data on X, formerly Twitter, indicating the restoration of internet connectivity in Gaza. Additionally, an AFP employee in Gaza City confirmed that internet and phone networks were functional shortly after 4 a.m. (0200 GMT), allowing them to make phone calls and use the internet.
Netanyahu issued a warning to Hamas about the arduous conflict ahead. At the same time, the Palestinian resistance demanded the release of all Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the hostages it had taken three weeks ago.
The United Nations (UN) cautioned that thousands more civilians in Gaza could lose their lives as Israel confirmed that its ground forces were still operating within the territory more than 24 hours after their initial entry on Friday.
The head of the International Red Cross appealed for an end to the “intolerable” suffering endured by Gaza’s civilians.
Following Hamas militants’ incursion across the Gaza border on October 7, Israel launched a significant bombing campaign, resulting in over 1,400 casualties and the seizure of more than 200 hostages, according to Israeli authorities.
Since then, over 8,000 Palestinians have tragically lost their lives in Israeli retaliatory strikes on Gaza, with half of the victims being children, as reported by the health ministry in the Palestinian territory on Saturday.
The Hamas authorities reported a “significant number” of casualties from Israeli airstrikes on two refugee camps in northern Gaza overnight.
The Israeli Home Front Command had earlier issued warnings to residents in the southern cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon about incoming missile and rocket attacks.
Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency medical service confirmed the dispatch of first responders to the reported rocket strike scenes, with no casualties reported.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk expressed concerns about “the potentially catastrophic consequences of large-scale ground operations in Gaza,” emphasizing that “thousands more civilians” could be at risk.
Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, made an appeal for de-escalation from all parties involved in the conflict, highlighting the lack of safe places for civilians in Gaza amid the extensive bombardments and the challenges in providing adequate humanitarian assistance due to the military blockade, calling it a catastrophic failure that the world should not tolerate.
Related: Gaza’s healthcare facilities teetering on the brink of collapse
A novel stage in the conflict
The heavy bombardment of Hamas, which has governed Gaza since 2007, allowed Israeli ground forces to intensify their operations.
The Israeli army announced that combined combat forces, including armor, combat engineers, and infantry, have been conducting ground operations in the northern Gaza Strip since early Friday evening. Israel had amassed a significant number of troops along the Gaza border, raising expectations of a full-scale invasion, and there were limited ground incursions on Wednesday and Thursday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that this marks the second stage of the war with clear objectives, including destroying the military and leadership capabilities of Hamas and securing the return of hostages. He emphasized that the conflict in Gaza would be prolonged and challenging, describing it as an “existential test” for Israel.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant indicated that they had entered a new phase in the war, highlighting that the Israeli military had been conducting operations both above and below the ground, referring to the network of tunnels constructed by Hamas under Gaza.
Israeli fighter jets dropped leaflets over Gaza City, warning residents that the area had become a “battlefield” and that shelters in northern Gaza were not safe, advising them to “evacuate immediately” to the south. Similar warnings had been issued earlier in the campaign, but many residents who initially fled to the south had returned home after being unable to find refuge from Israeli airstrikes.
Cost to bear
Hamas’s armed wing has expressed its readiness to release the hostages it has taken if Israel agrees to release all the Palestinian prisoners it is holding. According to Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, “The price to pay for the large number of enemy hostages in our hands is to empty the (Israeli) prisons of all Palestinian prisoners.” He further stated that they are prepared for a simultaneous exchange or a step-by-step process.
Hamas’s leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, stated that the group is prepared for an “immediate” exchange.
Israel’s military reported that it had counted 230 hostages taken to Gaza, including dozens of foreigners or dual nationals.
This week, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades announced that “almost 50” of the hostages had been killed in Israeli airstrikes.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu met with representatives of hostage relatives, and some family members expressed support for a prisoner exchange in return for the hostages’ release. Netanyahu did not commit to such a deal but assured the hostage families that Israel would explore every possible option to bring them home.
Communications blackout
During the night leading into Saturday, Gaza officials reported that hundreds of buildings and homes were completely demolished, and thousands suffered damage.
In response, Hamas launched new rocket attacks, resulting in injuries to three individuals in central Israel.
Elon Musk, the billionaire, announced that his Starlink satellite service would provide internet access support to “internationally recognized aid organizations in Gaza.” This announcement came one day after communication and phone networks were disrupted throughout Gaza.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that this disruption was impacting emergency calls and critical ambulance services. Human Rights Watch expressed concerns that it could potentially be used to conceal mass atrocities.
Starlink is a satellite network operating in low Earth orbit, designed to offer internet connectivity to remote areas or regions where conventional communication infrastructure has been disabled.
The UN’s “non-binding” judgment regarding Gaza
Josep Borrell, the EU foreign policy chief, called for a “halt to hostilities” to facilitate the delivery of aid to Gaza after the UN General Assembly issued a resolution urging an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire.” This non-binding resolution received significant support on Friday, but it was criticized by Israel and the US for not mentioning Hamas.
Addressing a large gathering of pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Istanbul on Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asserted that “the primary responsible party for the unfolding tragedy in Gaza is the West.” His remarks led to Israel recalling all of its diplomats from Turkey.
As per the UN, Israel’s military campaign has displaced over 1.4 million people within Gaza, which comprises more than half of its 2.4 million population. Access to essential supplies like food, water, and electricity in this densely populated region has been severely restricted.
While the first aid convoy was permitted on October 21, only a total of 84 trucks entered Gaza, a significant reduction from the daily average of 500 trucks before the conflict, according to the UN. The combination of bombings and fuel shortages has forced 12 out of Gaza’s 35 hospitals to close, and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has had to significantly curtail its operations.
In addition, violence in the occupied West Bank has escalated notably since the attacks on October 7, resulting in 109 Palestinians, including 33 children, being killed by Israeli forces or settlers, according to the UN.
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