Heavy airstrikes by Israel after cutting off internet service across Gaza

Israel is carrying out heavy airstrikes and “intense bombings” around several hospitals in the north of the Gaza Strip, shortly after cutting off the internet service and communications.

The head of the government’s media office Salama Marouf said that “For more than an hour, intense bombings have been taking place around hospitals.”

All communications and internet services have been cut again within the Gaza Strip. “The main routes that were previously reconnected [are] cut off again from the Israeli side,” Palestinian telecommunications company Paltel says.

It’s the third time communications have been severed in the last week. During previous blackouts, Israel’s military declined to say if it was behind it, but added it would “do whatever is needed” to protect its forces.

Elon Musk said he would offer his Starlink satellite internet service to “internationally recognised aid organisations” in Gaza, prompting protests by Israel.

Earlier, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director, Cindy McCain has warned that five days of food supplies are left in Gaza.

The WFP estimates that at the shop level, current stocks of essential food commodities will be sufficient for about five more days.

It is pertinent to mention here that Israel has relentlessly bombarded the besieged Gaza Strip, levelling entire city blocks and killing thousands, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

In Gaza nearly 9,800 people, including women and children, have died since October 7, the Hamas-run health ministry reported.