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80% of Gaza's telecoms network damaged by Israel

July 30, 2014 at 4:28 pm

Eighty per cent of the wireless telephone network in Gaza has been damaged by the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, Ammar Aker CEO of the Palestine Telecommunications (Paltel) Group said yesterday.

Speaking to the Anadolu news agency, Aker said the continuous indiscriminate shelling had hit telecommunication towers and wireless transmission networks, which means they will not be able to provide frequencies for mobile phones operating in the Gaza Strip.

He said that the bombing of the Gaza power plant stopped the vast majority of the towers from work, because of their dependence on electricity as well as fuel, pointing out that Paltel has suffered tens of millions of dollars in losses as a result of the bombing.

According to a statement released by the group, more than 20 sites which provide internet infrastructure are out of service permanently, because of the incessant shelling on the one hand, and the destruction of electricity towers.

Aker said: “The destruction of the pillars of landlines installed on roadsides is happening at a time when citizens need to stay in touch more than ever, so we are trying as much as possible to maintain landline networks because they are more fuel-efficient.”

Israel is continuing its offensive on the Gaza Strip for the 24th day. To date, some 1,258 Palestinians have been killed, most of whom have been women and children, and more than 7,100 have been injured.

Some 53 Israeli soldiers have also been killed along with three civilians.