Gaza Plunged into Darkness and Violence as Israel Announces “Second Stage” of War Against Hamas
On Saturday night, Gaza was plunged into darkness, isolation, and violence as Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, announced that the country was entering “the second stage” of what is likely to be a long and difficult war against Hamas. The Gaza Strip’s communications with the outside world were almost entirely cut off, leaving its 2.3 million Palestinians in a state of uncertainty and fear.
During a televised press conference, Netanyahu declared that Israel had unanimously approved the widening of the ground invasion with the objective of defeating the murderous enemy. He referred to the expanding war as Israel’s “second war of independence” and emphasized that they were only at the beginning.
The heavy airstrikes launched by Israel caused severe damage to the enemy, including the elimination of many terrorists. However, Netanyahu warned that the battle within the Gaza Strip would be difficult and long.
Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, stated that the campaign against Hamas would continue until a new order was given. The Israeli military conducted airstrikes and sent armor and infantry forces into Gaza, engaging in clashes with Hamas fighters.
As a result of the airstrikes, Gaza’s communication networks, including mobile networks, the internet, and electricity, were almost entirely cut off. Emergency services, including paramedic teams, struggled to respond to the scores of deaths and injuries caused by the airstrikes. Civilians, desperate to save the wounded, used their bare hands to pull them from the rubble.
Amid mounting concern over the civilian death toll, Lynn Hastings, the UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories, expressed the need for communications to ensure hospitals and humanitarian operations could continue. Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly known as Twitter), offered to supply internationally recognized agencies in Gaza with his Starlink satellite system.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported conducting airstrikes on 150 underground Hamas targets overnight on Friday. The IDF also faced rocket launches from Gaza and clashes on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon. The situation led to calls for a humanitarian ceasefire, as the World Health Organization (WHO) expressed concerns about the overwhelmed hospitals and the inability to evacuate patients in the communications blackout.
The harrowing scenes in Gaza prompted warnings from the UN’s human rights chief and the Gaza civil defense official about the potentially catastrophic consequences of the ongoing conflict.
The Hamas-run Palestinian health ministry claimed that about 7,700 people had been killed in Gaza since the start of the conflict, while Hamas massacred about 1,400 Israelis along the Gaza border. However, these numbers are not independently verified.
As Israel’s assault on Gaza continues, the international community grows increasingly concerned about the escalating violence and the impact on civilians caught in the crossfire. The hope for a resolution and a cessation of hostilities remains uncertain, leaving the people of Gaza in a state of fear and uncertainty.