Communication and internet services in Gaza have been disrupted repeatedly by the ongoing Israeli genocide in the enclave, WAFA has reported. Details of the extensive damage to the enclave’s telecommunications infrastructure have been highlighted in a new report by the Arab Centre for the Advancement of Social Media, 7amleh.
The telecommunications sector has experienced widespread destruction, affecting the lives of citizens in Gaza significantly and disrupting essential services, said the centre. According to initial assessments by Palestine Telecommunications Company (Paltel) group and Ooredoo, published by the Ministry of Telecommunications and Digital Economy of the State of Palestine, 75 per cent of Gaza’s telecommunications infrastructure has been damaged, with at least 50 per cent completely destroyed.
The first complete outage occurred on 29 October last year. Communications services have been cut off almost totally at least 15 times during a year of devastation, according to a previous report by 7amleh.
The new report provides detailed insights into the damage inflicted on communication towers and the fibre optic infrastructure responsible for providing internet services, with an estimated cost of $90 million by March 2024. Currently, only 30 per cent of the communication towers and infrastructure components are operational.
The report has also shed light on the challenges faced by local telecommunications companies, which rely heavily on diesel generators to keep services running, inbcluding fuel shortages and power outages. Efforts to repair the destroyed infrastructure are hampered by such shortages.
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The damage has been exacerbated by waves of forced displacement, increasing pressure on shelters and functional communication networks in these areas, and making it difficult to maintain contact with the outside world. Citizens are no longer able to call the emergency services, communicate with relatives, or access the few remaining reliable sources of information, especially after the closure of broadcasting stations and the targeting of local journalists since the start of the Israeli genocide.
In these harsh conditions, some residents have resorted to using e-SIM cards from foreign telecommunications companies to stay connected. Satellite internet services like Starlink have only been used in a limited capacity in one hospital in Gaza. However, these solutions face challenges related to high costs and limited geographic coverage, in addition to the need for Israeli approval to provide these services, restricting their use to specific areas with limited capabilities.
In light of the humanitarian and economic challenges caused by the ongoing war on Gaza, the report reaches important conclusions and recommendations regarding the impact of the conflict on the telecommunications sector. Findings indicate that rebuilding this sector requires a comprehensive approach that meets the urgent and basic needs of residents in the short term, while also planning for long-term reconstruction to ensure the development of a resilient and sustainable infrastructure.
The report proposes two scenarios: the first focuses on the immediate response to urgent needs and the restoration of communication services through temporary solutions, while the second addresses long-term reconstruction through significant investments in 4G and 5G technologies, supported by the international community and the private sector.
7amleh called for urgent international intervention to stop the war and genocide and to contribute to rebuilding Gaza’s telecommunications sector, which serves as a vital lifeline for citizens in these catastrophic humanitarian conditions.
“We affirm that communication is a fundamental human right, ensuring freedom of expression and access to information, especially during crises, as stated in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” said the centre. “We demand the entry of fuel and necessary equipment to fully and sustainably restore services, and urge the relevant authorities to facilitate the introduction of modern technologies, including satellite services, without restrictions that undermine Palestinians’ rights to communication and access to information.”
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