Gaza experiences 2nd comms blackout as Israel cuts internet, phones and bombs refugee camp

Internet and phone networks were down across the besieged and war-torn Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the Palestinian telecommunications agency said, in the second such blackout in the territory in less than a week.

"To our good people in the beloved country, we are sorry to announce that communications and internet services have been completely cut off in Gaza," the Palestine Telecommunications Company (Paltel) said on X.

Global network monitor Netblocks confirmed that Gaza "is in the midst of a new internet blackout with high impact to the last remaining major operator, Paltel."

"The incident will be experienced as a total loss of telecommunications by most residents," it said in a post on X.

An AFP journalist in Gaza confirmed the loss of communications, adding that his phone still had signal because he was using an international SIM card.

Another AFP journalist said only people with Israeli or Egyptian phone lines could still use their mobiles in the border town of Rafah.

Internet and phone networks were completely cut last week but were restored at the weekend.

Israel has been accused of causing the shutdown in order to "perpetrate massacres" in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian telecoms provider Jawwal had blamed Israel's ruthless bombardment of the territory for the blackout.

Israeli assaults in Gaza have killed 8,796 Palestinians, including 3,648 children since Tel Aviv began waging its war on 7 October. Scores of residential buildings, places of worship, hospitals have been partially or fully destroyed amid bombardment.

Gazans also have little to no access to water, fuel and food due to a complete siege being imposed by Israel, as atrocities and human rights violations continue.