Paltel Group Restoring Internet and Phone Services in Gaza After Disruption
Internet and phone services are being reinstated in Gaza after a recent blackout, which humanitarian organizations cautioned could enable war crimes.
Paltel Group, the communication service provider in Gaza, announced on Sunday that landline, mobile, and internet services are gradually being restored following the “ongoing aggression” that caused the disruption.
“Our technical teams are working diligently to address the damage to the internal network infrastructure amidst challenging conditions,” stated the telecom company.
“May God protect you all and our country.”
We are pleased to announce that telecommunication services (landline, mobile, and internet) in Gaza Strip, disrupted on Friday, October 27, 2023, due to the ongoing aggression, are gradually being restored.
1/2
— Paltel (@Paltelco) October 29, 2023
Majed Abusalama, an opinion columnist for Al Jazeera, expressed relief after being able to contact his mother in Gaza and hear her voice.
“Everyone can now reach their families. However, we remain uncertain for how long?” he shared on social media.
Gaza experienced a near-total blackout of communications for approximately 36 hours following Israeli air attacks on Friday that damaged communication lines and towers, according to Palestinian telecom providers.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, warned that the lack of communication hindered efforts to document war crimes and other abuses in Gaza.
On Saturday, Elon Musk offered his Starlink satellite internet service to “internationally recognized aid organizations” in Gaza, leading to protests from Israel.
“HAMAS will exploit it for terrorist activities,” warned Israel’s communication minister, Shlomo Karhi, during an interview.
“Maybe Musk would be willing to condition it upon the release of our abducted babies, sons, daughters, and elderly. All of them! If that’s the case, my office will sever all ties with Starlink,” Karhi added.
