Gaza City has been plunged into another communications blackout early on Wednesday, as confirmed by two telecom providers.
Paltel Group and Jawwal reported a “complete disruption” of all phone, internet, and other communication networks within the Gaza blockade for the second time in five days.
The blackout comes weeks after Israel vowed it would lay siege to the Gaza Strip in the wake of the October 7 attacks by Hamas rebels.
Aid services have already stated that such blockades on communications make providing humanitarian services to civilians nearly impossible and risk making a dire situation for thousands of innocents far worse.
The communications blackout comes hours after Israel fired a barrage of missiles at Gaza City which levelled apartments and businesses, left smoking craters in the earth, and razed refugee camps originally designed to house the most needy of people living within the walls of a shunned nation.
According to the World Health Organisation, two hospitals have also been damaged, as well as critical resources, including ambulances, in the attacks.
Additionally, all 13 hospitals operating in the north section of Gaza have received Israeli evacuation orders in recent days.
Medics have refused to do so as such a move would be a death sentence for their patients.
Shifa Hospital, the largest in the northern Gaza region, is also on the verge of running out of fuel, and there has been no electricity supply in weeks.
Israel is also blocking the entry of fuel to the strip to power generators for civilians, aid services and hospitals, claiming they want to prevent it from winding up in the hands of Hamas rebels.
It has allowed a limited amount of food, water, medicine and other supplies to enter from Egypt, though far less than what is needed, relief groups say.
More than half of the city’s 2.3 million Palestinians have fled their homes as Israeli forces advance through the strip, with many turning to hospitals or schools run by the UN for shelter.
Related: Middle Eastern nations issue stark warning as Israel bombs Gaza refugee camp
