What's happened
As of June 20, 2025, communication services in Gaza remain severely disrupted due to Israeli strikes targeting infrastructure. While some areas have seen restoration, ongoing attacks threaten future repairs, impacting humanitarian efforts and education. The situation highlights the critical role of telecommunications in crisis management and civilian safety.
What's behind the headline?
Impact of Communication Disruptions
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Humanitarian Crisis: The outages hinder aid delivery and emergency response, isolating affected populations. Humanitarian organizations report difficulties in coordinating efforts, with UNRWA noting that connectivity issues have made it challenging to reach those in need.
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Educational Challenges: With many educational institutions damaged, internet access has become crucial for continuing education. However, ongoing outages have led to class cancellations and hindered students' ability to learn remotely.
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Civilian Safety: The lack of communication leaves residents unaware of evacuation orders during strikes, increasing the risk of casualties. As Shaina Low from the Norwegian Refugee Council stated, "When they hear nearby strikes, Palestinians without connection don’t know whether evacuation orders are issued."
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Long-term Consequences: The persistent targeting of telecommunications infrastructure raises concerns about the future of Gaza's recovery and rebuilding efforts. With over 70% of networks damaged, the region faces a prolonged struggle to restore basic services.
What the papers say
The Independent and AP News report that Israeli strikes have caused significant communication outages in Gaza, with Paltel indicating that while some services have been restored, ongoing attacks threaten future maintenance. Juliette Touma from UNRWA emphasized the dire implications for humanitarian efforts, stating, "Telecoms have been used as a weapon of war against civilians." Meanwhile, The New Arab highlighted the initial complete blackout and the challenges faced by emergency responders due to communication failures. The situation underscores the critical need for reliable telecommunications in conflict zones, as noted by various humanitarian organizations.
How we got here
Since the onset of the conflict in October 2023, Gaza has experienced repeated communication outages. The latest disruptions stem from targeted strikes on key infrastructure, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and isolating residents from essential services and information.
Go deeper
- What are the implications of the communication outages?
- How are humanitarian organizations responding to the crisis?
- What is the current status of internet services in Gaza?
Common question
More on these topics
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Gaza most commonly refers to:
Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea
Gaza City, a city in the Gaza Strip
Gaza may also refer to:
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The Palestinian National Authority is the interim self-government body established in 1994 following the Gaza–Jericho Agreement to govern the Gaza Strip and Areas A and B of the West Bank, as a consequence of the 1993 Oslo Accords.
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The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East is a UN agency that supports the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees.