Gaza telecom blackout hinders ambulances from reaching civilians hit by israeli strikes

AP , Thursday 21 Dec 2023

Nebal Farsakh, the spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent, said Thursday that the communications blackout across Gaza means that they can only contact staff at the group's main base in Khan Younis by using VHF radio waves.

Gaza
Smoke billowing over damaged buildings during a military operation in the north of the Gaza Strip amid continuing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. AFP

 

More worrying, she said, is the effect the blackout is having on The Red Crescent’s emergency response work

“This means civilians can’t call the 101 emergency line to get ambulances,” she told The Associated Press by phone. Our staff “are just following the sounds of bombardments”

Farsakh said her team has resorted to stationing ambulances at all the major working hospitals so that when the first casualties arrive, they can find out the location of the strike.

According to Paltel, the Palestinian telecoms provider, the current disruptions started Wednesday. There have been at least four communication blackouts in Gaza since the conflict erupted on Oct. 7.

Short link: