Israel has “tightened” the siege around Gaza city, using tanks, helicopters and airstrikes, while residents reported today, Thursday (18.09) that internet and telephone communications have been cut throughout the Gaza Strip. The blackout of internet and phone services in the Gaza Strip is considered perhaps the most significant indication in recent days that Israel is preparing for an immediate escalation of ground operations, aimed at the complete elimination of Hamas. It should be noted that Israeli forces control the eastern suburbs of Gaza City and in recent days have been pounding the Sheikh Radwan and Tel al-Hawa areas, from where they will be positioned to advance into central and western areas where the majority of the population has taken refuge.
Gaza: “The internet and phone line cuts are a bad omen”
“The internet and phone line cuts are a bad omen. It has always been a bad sign that something very brutal will happen,” said Ismail, who did not want to give his surname. He uses a digital SIM card (e-SIM) to connect his phone, a dangerous method that requires someone to search for high ground to find a signal. “The situation around me is desperate. People in tents and in houses are very worried about their lives. Many cannot afford to leave, but many don’t even want to do it,” he noted, speaking from a coastal area in the western part of the city.
At least 14 Palestinians lost their lives in the last 24 hours
It should be noted that at least 14 Palestinians lost their lives in the last 24 hours from Israeli attacks or fire in the Gaza Strip, nine of them in Gaza city, according to local health authorities on Thursday (18/09/2025). Meanwhile, the Palestinian Telecommunications Company announced that its services have been disrupted “due to the ongoing assault and targeting of key network channels.”
In its latest media statement, the Israeli military said troops are expanding their operations in Gaza City, dismantling what it characterized as “terrorist infrastructure” and “eliminating terrorists.” However, the statement made no mention of the telecommunications disruption nor gave details about tank movements. It also stated that the military continues to operate in Khan Yunis and Rafah in the south. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have left Gaza City since Israel announced on August 10 that it intends to take control, but many more remain in the area, either in damaged homes among the ruins or in makeshift camps.
In Sheikh Radwan, which is north of the city center and has been under heavy bombardment in recent days, residents said they have seen tanks in the “heart” of their neighborhood and that Israeli forces fired four unmanned vehicles loaded with explosives, with the explosions destroying many homes. Similar explosions rocked Tel Al-Hawa, located southeast of the city center, and residents there also reported tanks in the streets. Israel said yesterday, Wednesday, that it is opening an additional exit corridor from the city for 48 hours, calling on civilians to move south.
According to data from international humanitarian organizations, more than 55,000 residents left northern Gaza from Sunday (14/09/2025) to Wednesday (17/09/2025). However, estimates by Israel and Hamas indicate that over half a million people still remain in the area.
