Gaza's internet connectivity has worsened because of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Now, Palestinian ISPs (internet service providers) said that they can no longer continue their operations because of the situation in the region.
Doug Madory, the director of internet analysis at Kentik, also confirmed that the broadband services in the Gaza Strip are dramatically collapsing.
General view of buildings which were destroyed during Israeli air raids in the southern Gaza Strip on October 23, 2023 in Khan Yunis, Gaza. Gazans are evacuating to the south as advised by the Israeli government, ahead of an expected Israeli ground offensive. Israel has sealed off Gaza.
Does this mean that the Gaza Strip will soon have no internet connectivity at all? Here are the latest details you need to know.
Gaza's Internet Connectivity Worsens as ISPs Collapse
According to TechCrunch's latest report, internet monitoring firm NetBlocks announced on Thursday, Oct. 26, that the Palestinian ISP NetStream has collapsed.
"Real-time network data show that NetStream, one of the last remaining internet providers in #Gaza, has collapsed days after the operator notified subscribers that service would end due to a severe shortage of fuel supplies," said NetBlocks via its official X post.
Some X users said that there's a chance that ISPs in Gaza will likely cut the internet entirely. But, they believe that this is no longer because of fuel issues.
No matter what the reason is, the lack of internet connectivity will drastically affect Palestinians who are still in the Gaza Strip.
IODA, an internet infrastructure connectivity monitoring system, said the collapse of NetSream further worsened the broadband connectivity in Gaza.
Amanda Meng, a Georgia Tech research scientist, also warned that they are seeing continued internet connectivity decline in the region. She added that this issue began on Oct. 7, when the Hamas terrorist group conducted its deadly attack in Israel.
Meng explained that the internet connectivity in the Gaza Strip dropped to 20% during that day, which was followed by another decline of around 15% on Oct. 20.
Read Also: Israeli Airstrike: Aljazeera Says Gaza Correspondent's Family was Killed During Assault
Gaza Experiencing Near-Total Internet Blackout
A plume of smoke rises in the sky of Gaza City during an Israeli airstrike on October 9, 2023. Israel relentlessly pounded the Gaza Strip overnight and into October 9 as fighting with Hamas continued around the Gaza Strip, as the death toll from the war against the Palestinian militants surged above 1,100.
Business Insider reported that some outage-detection models claimed that Gaza's internet connectivity has been severely affected by the airstrikes of Israel.
Because of this, Doug Madory warned that the region is experiencing a near-total internet blackout. The lack of outages is dealing a heavy blow to Gaza residents, especially during the war.
Palestinians are having a hard time connecting with their friends and families, as well as accessing essential news and other information.
Another issue that the lack of internet leads to is making it harder to document possible human-rights violations in the Gaza Strip.
Related Article: Israel's Gaza Invasion Delayed as Requested by US; Pentagon To Use Remaining Time for Air Defense Enhancement
