800,000 Palestinians silenced as Israel severs internet before deadly advance
By isabelle // 2025-09-19
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  • Israel deliberately cut off all communications in Gaza City ahead of a major military escalation, a tactic repeatedly used before mass atrocities.
  • Explosive-laden robots and airstrikes are flattening civilian neighborhoods while the world is left blind by the total information blackout.
  • Over 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, with Israel blocking ceasefire talks while U.S. allies provide unconditional political cover.
  • Journalists risk their lives to send updates via rooftops and e-SIMs as Israel targets media workers, ensuring no witnesses remain to document war crimes.
  • Israel’s endgame is revealed: AI-driven "smart cities" and resorts built on stolen land after displacing or eradicating Gaza’s population through starvation, bombs, and silence.
The pattern is unmistakable: When Israel prepares for its most brutal assaults on Gaza, the first casualty isn’t just truth; it’s the ability to even report it. On Wednesday, nearly 800,000 Palestinians in Gaza City were cut off from the world as Israeli forces severed internet and phone lines, a tactic that has preceded every major escalation since October 2023. This isn’t just collateral damage; it’s a calculated move to ensure the coming atrocities unfold in silence. The blackout began as Israeli tanks and infantry pushed deeper into Gaza City’s northwestern neighborhoods, where residents describe “earth-shaking” explosions from both airstrikes and explosive-laden robots deployed in civilian areas. According to the Gaza-based Government Media Office, at least 100 of these lethal machines were used between August 13 and September 3 alone, destroying an average of 300 residential units daily. Yet with communications down, the world may never see the full scale of the devastation.

A tactic of terror, not war

Israel has perfected the art of information warfare. Since October 2023, Gaza has endured at least 12 total communications blackouts, with each one a prelude to mass casualties. The latest shutdown came as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant vowed to “destroy Gaza City” if Hamas didn’t release remaining hostages, a demand that ignores Israel’s own role in sabotaging ceasefire talks. Meanwhile, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich openly framed the strip as a “real estate bonanza,” hinting at post-war plans for AI-driven “smart cities” and resorts once the Palestinian population is sufficiently displaced or eradicated. For those trapped inside, the blackout isn’t just about silence; it’s about survival. Journalists, already targeted by Israeli strikes, now risk their lives climbing to rooftops to catch a signal via e-SIMs, the only remaining lifeline. “The disconnection of internet and phone services is a bad omen,” one Gazan resident named Ismail told Reuters. “It has always been a bad signal something very brutal is going to happen.” His warning echoes the experiences of Palestinians in Khan Younis and Rafah, where similar blackouts preceded some of the war’s deadliest operations.

Nowhere left to run

Israel claims it’s providing “humanitarian zones” for civilians to flee, but aid agencies and displaced Palestinians describe these areas as open-air prisons devoid of food, medicine, or shelter. The World Health Organization warns that Gaza’s hospitals, reduced to “shells” after 23 months of war, are days away from collapsing entirely due to blood shortages. Meanwhile, the death toll from starvation alone has reached at least 435, including 147 children. The math is staggering: More than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, with more than 10% of Gaza’s population now dead or injured, according to former Israeli military chief Herzi Halevi. Yet Israel’s allies, including the U.S., continue to provide diplomatic cover, blaming Hamas for the war’s continuation while ignoring Israel’s refusal to engage in good-faith negotiations.

The blackout as a weapon

Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor didn’t mince words: “Relentless bombardments, collapsing high-rises, and destroyed internet infrastructure have left Gaza City in total blackout.” The group emphasizes that this isn’t just about cutting off news; it’s about cutting off witnesses. With no way to document war crimes, Israel can accelerate its campaign of demolition and displacement without accountability. Even the UN General Assembly’s recent call for an unconditional ceasefire—a rare rebuke that included support from Germany and Ukraine—carries no enforcement power. As Israeli troops advance, the question isn’t just whether Gaza City will fall; it’s whether the world will even see it happen. The blackout ensures that when the next massacre unfolds, the only narrative that survives will be Israel’s. And with the U.S. and its allies still shielding Israel from consequences, the cycle of violence will continue, unchecked and unrecorded, until Gaza is remade in the image its occupiers desire: empty, obedient, and profitable. Right now, the silence speaks louder than the bombs. And that’s exactly the point. Sources for this article include: MiddleEastEye.net TheCradle.co NYPost.com Reuters.com
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