Internet connectivity was partially restored in the Gaza Strip early Sunday local time, according to cybersecurity monitoring group NetBlocks, after the besieged enclave was plunged into a near total communications blackout over the weekend following Israeli strikes on telecoms infrastructure. The disruption to communications in Gaza severely impacted aid work — one U.N. agency said the delivery of assistance had been brought to a complete halt, while another reported losing contact with all of its local staff. Ambulances were unable to locate the injured or those under the rubble, the United Nations said in a statement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday said that the “second stage” of war against Hamas was underway, as Israel expanded its ground operations in Gaza. The war will be “long and difficult,” he warned, though Israeli officials would not definitely say whether the escalation represents the start of the anticipated major ground incursion.
