UNITED NATIONS: Human Rights Watch has warned that the extensive telecommunications blackout in blockaded Gaza, amidst Israel’s relentless bombardment, could enable “mass atrocities” to occur without accountability.
Deborah Brown, the senior technology and human rights researcher at the organization, stated, “This blackout of information may facilitate mass atrocities and further shield those responsible for human rights violations. Israel’s intensified bombardment has effectively severed communication within Gaza, isolating its 2.3 million inhabitants from each other and the external world, as the military continues to advance its ground invasion in the besieged region.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate has issued a grave warning about what they describe as Israeli “massacres” targeting reporters in Gaza, particularly in the face of internet and communication shutdowns.
In a statement, they revealed that more than 24 journalists have tragically lost their lives, along with numerous members of their families. Additionally, dozens of journalists’ residences and media facilities have been obliterated.
According to the syndicate, these relentless attacks are not isolated incidents but are instead part of a deliberate, systematic strategy. They claim that there is an official decision to instill fear in journalists with the intent of preventing the documentation of Israeli actions from reaching the global stage.
Furthermore, Gaza recently suffered a complete disconnection from the internet on Friday due to an unprecedented wave of Israeli airstrikes. This unfortunate situation has further exacerbated the difficulties faced by the Palestinian people in communicating with the outside world.
Hamas’ military branch announced that it was engaged in combat with Israeli forces in two locations within the besieged Gaza Strip, following Israel’s declaration of an extension of its “ground operations” in the Palestinian territory.
In a statement, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades stated, that we are currently facing an Israeli ground incursion in Beit Hanoun, located in northern Gaza, and in east Bureij, situated in the central part of Gaza. Violent confrontations are occurring on the ground.
Mark Regev, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stated in an interview with MSNBC that Israel was initiating its response before the incursions into Gaza.
Hamas reported that Israel had increased the number of air strikes on Friday night and renewed its call for international efforts to stop the attacks. However, the Palestinian organization declared its readiness for any potential invasion ordered by Netanyahu’s far-right government.
Ezzat al-Rishaq, a senior member of the Hamas political bureau, proclaimed on Telegram, The land of Gaza will swallow up the remains of his soldiers.
Jordan holds Israel responsible for "atrocities" in blockaded Gaza pic.twitter.com/GEz6q6GM3z
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) October 28, 2023
