Gaza Strip isolated as communications cut during intense bombardment

From around 5pm local time on Friday, all phone and internet services in the Gaza Strip were suspended for 36 hours, preceding the most intense night of aerial, artillery, and naval bombardment experienced by the coastal territory in three weeks of conflict.

Israel-Palestine war: Gaza blackout leaves Palestinians wondering if families alive or dead

This disruption left the 2.3 million Palestinians residing in Gaza isolated not only from the global community, but also from one another.

Middle East Eye spoke to Samira Saber who said it took two days to find out if any of her relatives had been killed when her uncle’s house in Gaza was bombed.

“They are still under the rubble. Can you imagine that it has been two days, and they are still under the rubble? They cannot be alive, I hope they have already died."