RAMALLAH, Friday, October 27, 2023 (WAFA) – Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology Ishaq Sidr said today that the interruption of communications and the internet with Gaza is caused by the Israeli bombardment of the last two international connection points with the Strip.

In an interview with Palestine TV, Sidr said that the Gaza Strip has become separated from the outside world.

Since the first day of the aggression, he said, massive damage was caused to the infrastructure, including the communications network.

However, he said, this did not affect all connection points, which enabled companies to maintain landline and cellular communications and access to the internet.

He explained that what happened this evening was the bombing of the last two points designated for international connection with the Gaza Strip, which led to cutting communications and the internet with Gaza internally and internationally, which indicates the depth of the crime committed by the occupation forces.

The minister stressed that the disruption of communications within the Gaza Strip will affect many services, especially health services, warning that ambulance and help calls will stop.

He confirmed that he has begun making the necessary contacts with the International Telecommunication Union and other international actors and is keeping them informed of the situation, urging for urgent intervention.

The minister stressed that cutting off communications deliberately has serious indicators, mainly to silence people and obscure the image of the crimes of genocide and ethnic cleansing committed by the occupation army.

He expressed his hope that action would be taken quickly, so that the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip would not be deprived of sending distress calls or documenting the crimes committed by the occupation.

Sidr explained that the occupation continues to destroy all aspects of life in the Gaza Strip, including the infrastructure of the communications sector, holding the international community responsible, and calling for immediate intervention to stop the aggression and protect civilians.

A.D./T.R.