Gaza hit by telecom blackout as Israeli tanks advance

Internet, phone lines cut off across Gaza Strip; previous blackouts have preceded intense Israeli assaults; hundreds of thousands of civilians sheltering in city

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Israeli tanks were seen in two Gaza City areas that are gateways to the city centre, residents said on Thursday, while internet and phone lines were cut off across the Gaza Strip, a sign that ground operations were likely to escalate imminently.

Israeli forces control Gaza City's eastern suburbs and in recent days have been pounding the Sheikh Radwan and Tel Al-Hawa areas, from where they would be positioned to advance on central and western areas where most of the population is sheltering.

"The disconnection of internet and phone services is a bad omen. It has always been a bad signal something very brutal is going to happen," said Ismail, who only gave one name. He was using an e-SIM to connect his phone, a dangerous method as it requires seeking higher ground to receive a signal.

At least 79 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli strikes or gunfire across the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, most in Gaza City, the territory's health ministry said early afternoon on Thursday.

Israeli army spokesperson Nadav Shoshani said troops had been operating in the city's periphery for several weeks but since the night of Monday to Tuesday large numbers of troops had begun moving towards the inner city.