UNRWA reports communication issues in Gaza amid blackout

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
6 Nov 2023 01:04

Shortly after Gaza's communication services were suspended, "Israel" announced that its troops had advanced deep into the northern part of Gaza and established positions along the coastline.

Palestinians evacuate families from their homes following an Israeli airstrike in Jabaliya refugee camp, on the outskirts of Gaza City, Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Mohammed Alaswad)

On Sunday, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) reported that it faced communication challenges in reaching the majority of its staff members in the Gaza Strip due to a blackout.

Earlier in the day, Palestinian telecoms company Paltel reported a disruption of mobile and internet services in the Gaza Strip, attributing it to "Israel's" disruption of main communication routes.

Shortly after, "Israel" announced that its troops had advanced deep into the northern part of Gaza and established positions along the coastline.

"Right now the Gaza Strip is experiencing a communications blackout. UNRWA is not able to get through to the vast majority of our team," the UN mission said on X.

"This is the third communications blackout over the past 10 days. Gazans are completely cut off from their loved ones and the rest of the world," it added.

According to a situation report released on Sunday, the UN agency that assists Palestinian refugees has lost 79 workers as a result of the war on Gaza in the last four weeks.

"Confirmed numbers, since October 7: 79 UNRWA colleagues killed, 48 UNRWA installations damaged," the report read.

Additionally, it estimated that on November 3 and 4, 77 trucks carrying food, water, and medical supplies—12 of which were supplied by UNRWA—entered the Gaza Strip from Egypt via the Rafah border crossing.

Israel shut off connections across the beleaguered exclave, and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East claimed earlier in the day that it was unable to reach the great majority of their team delivering aid in Gaza.

Right now the📍#GazaStrip is experiencing a communications blackout@UNRWA is not able to get through to the vast majority of our team

This is the third communications blackout over the past 10 days. Gazans are completely cut off from their loved ones and the rest of the world pic.twitter.com/Q31RFvW3UE
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) November 5, 2023

Amid the communications blackout, a hundred Israeli doctors have recently submitted petition urging for the murder of innocent civilians and the committing of war crimes under the guise of fighting the Palestinian Resistance.

The petition, titled "Doctors for the rights of [Israeli] soldiers," calls for the bombing of a Palestinian hospital housing thousands of refugees who are seeking shelter there because, generally, bombing hospitals is not allowed under international law, though "Israel" has proven time and time again that it has no regard for such stipulations.