Negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas are continuing despite West Jerusalem’s decision to expand its ground operations in Gaza, Reuters reported on Saturday, citing sources.
According to a person familiar with the diplomatic process, the de-escalation talks mediated by Qatar, which has close ties to Hamas and hosts its political bureau in Doha, have not broken down but are now proceeding at a “much slower pace.”
Speaking to CNN on Saturday, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari confirmed backchanneling, saying that “various sides” had pushed Doha to help maintain ties between the two belligerents. “This channel has been very instrumental in countering the escalations that took place,” he said, adding that “as long as this channel is useful in creating peace,” “we cannot afford to lose it.”
The official emphasized that it “is the only way that we are mediating the release of… hostages” held by Hamas. Still, he lamented that the escalation on the ground was making the situation “considerably more difficult.”
Since the beginning of the violence on October 7, the militant group has captured more than 200 people, including soldiers, civilians, and foreign nationals.
Qatar has previously played an instrumental role in securing the release of four Hamas hostages, including a mother and daughter from Chicago and two elderly Israeli women, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres applauding the country’s efforts on that front.
The Reuters report comes after Axios earlier claimed, citing sources, that Israel had moved to expand its ground and air operations in Gaza after negotiations with Hamas hit an impasse. However, a CNN report contradicted that assessment, with its sources saying that there had been “significant progress” on freeing hostages
On Saturday, Yahya al-Sinwar, the head of Hamas in Gaza, said that the group was “ready to conduct an immediate prisoner swap deal” and release all captives in its custody on condition that the agreement include “the release of all Palestinian prisoners from the Israeli jails.”
On the same day, as representatives of the families of the hostages met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, they urged him to agree to an “everyone for everyone” prisoner swap. The Israeli leader made no commitments but promised to “exhaust every possibility” to bring the captives home.
"Humanitarian organizations and international media have lost contact with their colleagues amid intensified Israeli bombardment"
A near-total blackout of internet and cellphone service has taken hold across much of the Gaza Strip, according to witnesses there and companies that monitor global connectivity.
The largest telecommunications provider in Gaza that was still largely operational, Paltel, said Friday that it had suffered a complete disruption of all services after heavy Israeli bombing earlier in the day destroyed its last remaining infrastructure connecting it to the global internet.
"Dear people in our beloved homeland, we regret announcing a complete severance of all communications and Internet services with the Gaza Strip in light of the ongoing aggression," Paltel said in a statement translated by NBC News. "The intense bombing in the last hour caused the destruction of all remaining international routes linking Gaza to the outside world, in addition to the routes previously destroyed during the aggression, which led to the interruption of all communications services from the beloved Gaza Strip. May God protect you and protect our country."
Isik Mater, the director of research at NetBlocks, a U.K. company that tracks global internet connectivity, said the bombing created the biggest internet blackout since the conflict began.
“Today’s incident is the largest single disruption to internet connectivity in Gaza since the beginning of the conflict and will be perceived by many as a total or near-total internet blackout,” Mater said. “The loss of international routes is likely to severely limit residents’ ability to communicate with the outside world.”
⚠ Confirmed: Live network data show a collapse in connectivity in the #Gaza Strip with high impact to Paltel, amid reports of heavy bombardment; the company is the last remaining major operator to supply service as connectivity declines amid ongoing fighting with Israel 📉 pic.twitter.com/nDPf7HnjKF
The Palestine Red Crescent Society issued a statement Friday saying that the disruption would likely cause significant problems for emergency medical services in Gaza.
“We have completely lost contact with the operations room in Gaza Strip and all our teams operating there due to the Israeli authorities cutting off all landline, cellular and internet communications,” the group said. “We are deeply concerned about the ability of our teams to continue providing their emergency medical services, especially since this disruption affects the central emergency number ‘101’ and hinders the arrival of ambulance vehicles to the wounded and injured.”
A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces said Friday it had "increased the bombing in Gaza" including targeting infrastructure it says is used by terrorists.
Smoke over Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip from an Israeli strike on Oct. 27, 2023.
Smoke over Beit Hanoun in the Gaza Strip from an Israeli strike Friday.Amir Levy / Getty Images
Telecommunications services in Gaza had already been severely degraded since the start of the conflict. Some wrote on social media that outages were due to bombs hitting their infrastructure.
Internet providers and cell towers require significant power to run. Israel cut power to Gaza after Hamas attacked, and Gaza’s sole power plant ran out of fuel on Oct. 11.
Doug Madory, the director of internet analysis at Kentik, an internet monitoring company, said that the current blackout is significantly worse than the last major outage in Gaza, when limited electricity forced many internet service providers to limit access and rely on generators.
“By every metric of internet connectivity, things are in bad shape,” Madory said.
Belal Khaled, a photographer based in Gaza, told NBC News in a WhatsApp chat that there was a total internet and cell service blackout. He was only able to speak because he had brief access to satellite internet, he said.
Hamas said in an official press statement that cutting off internet and phone access "warns of the occupation’s intention to commit more massacres and genocides away from the eyes of the press and the world."
Husam Mekdad, a telecommunications specialist in Gaza, told NBC News earlier this week in a Signal chat that some internet providers there had stored fuel for generators, though supplies are invariably limited.
Connectivity was already limited because so much infrastructure had been severed by bombing, Mekdad said. With no electricity, he was forced to charge his own cellphone from a neighbor’s solar panel.
Mekdad could not be reached for comment Friday.
Hamas claims that by cutting off communications from Gaza, Israel is attempting to “cover up the crimes of the occupation without any oversight or accountability,” and tries to “create an image of victory,” a senior official, Osama Hamdan, told Al Jazeera.
Russian combat aircraft and air defense forces have destroyed 31 Ukrainian warplanes and three helicopters since October 1 in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Friday.
"Since October 1, fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces and air defense capabilities have destroyed 31 Ukrainian Air Force planes and three helicopters, including 20 MiG-29 fighters, eight Su-25 ground attack aircraft, a Su-24 bomber, two L-39 combat training planes and three Mi-8 helicopters," the ministry said in a statement.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 515 Ukrainian warplanes, 253 helicopters, 8,312 unmanned aerial vehicles, 441 surface-to-air missile systems, 12,960 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,169 multiple rocket launchers, 6,893 field artillery guns and mortars and 14,684 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, the ministry reported.
On October 25, Russia’s Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said at a meeting with the personnel of the battlegroup East decorated with state awards that Russian troops had shot down 24 Ukrainian warplanes over the past few days with the weapons they received. Later, a source close to the Defense Ministry told TASS that Russia had employed the latest S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile system in conjunction with an A-50 long-range radar surveillance aircraft in the zone of the special military operation in Ukraine.
Russian forces deliver 19 strikes on Ukrainian military sites over past week
Russian forces delivered 19 strikes on Ukrainian army sites over the past week, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported.
"In the period of October 21-27, 2023, Russian forces delivered 19 multiple-launch strikes by precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles against artillery ammunition arsenals, naval drone storage sites, military airfield infrastructure, fuel and lubricants depots. In addition, they struck deployment sites of Ukrainian troops, nationalists and foreign mercenaries. All the designated sites were destroyed as a result of the strikes," the ministry said.
Russian forces gain advantageous sites in Kupyansk area over past week
Russian forces repulsed 47 Ukrainian army counterattacks and gained advantageous sites in the Kupyansk area over the past week, the ministry reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, units of the western battlegroup repulsed 47 enemy counterattacks and gained more advantageous frontiers and positions in their professional operations over the past week," the ministry said.
The Russian battlegroup’s aircraft and artillery inflicted damage on manpower and military hardware of the Ukrainian army’s 25th airborne, 14th, 32nd and 41st mechanized and 68th jaeger brigades near Ivanovka and Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region, Sergeyevka and Novoyegorovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, the ministry specified.
"In addition, four armament and ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army were destroyed. The enemy’s losses over the past week totaled more than 705 personnel, a tank, 11 armored combat vehicles, 19 motor vehicles and 5 field artillery guns," the ministry reported.
Russian forces repulse 45 Ukrainian attacks in Krasny Liman area over week
Russian forces repulsed 45 Ukrainian army attacks in the Krasny Liman area, destroying over 1,020 enemy troops and 37 items of equipment over the past week, the ministry reported.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, units of the battlegroup Center supported by aircraft, artillery and heavy flamethrower fires repulsed 45 attacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 24th, 63rd and 67th mechanized brigades and the National Guard’s 15th regiment," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Krasny Liman area over the past week totaled "over 1,020 personnel, 20 armored combat vehicles, 14 motor vehicles and three artillery guns," the ministry specified.
Russian forces destroy over 2,055 Ukrainian troops in Donetsk area in past week
Russian forces repelled nine Ukrainian army attacks in the Donetsk area, destroying over 2,055 enemy troops in the week of October 21-27, the ministry reported.
"In the Donetsk direction, units of the southern battlegroup repulsed nine enemy attacks over the past week and inflicted damage on combat groups of the Ukrainian army’s 24th and 54th mechanized and 77th airmobile brigades in areas near the settlements of Maryinka, Kurdyumovka, Bogdanovka and Kleshcheyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.
The enemy’s losses in the Donetsk direction over the past week amounted to over 2,055 Ukrainian personnel, three tanks, 17 armored combat vehicles, 22 motor vehicles and 16 field artillery guns, the ministry specified.
Russian forces eliminate over 885 Ukrainian troops in south Donetsk area over week
Russian forces eliminated over 885 Ukrainian troops, a tank and four armored vehicles in the south Donetsk area over the past week, the ministry reported.
"In the south Donetsk direction, Russian forces improved their forward edge positions and inflicted damage on units of the Ukrainian army’s 58th motorized infantry, 72nd mechanized and 128th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Staromayorskoye, Ugledar and Urozhainoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy’s losses over the reporting period totaled more than 885 personnel, a tank, four armored combat vehicles, 17 motor vehicles and four field artillery guns," the ministry said.
Russian forces repel 19 Ukrainian attacks in Zaporozhye area over past week
Russian forces repelled 19 Ukrainian army attacks in their active defense in the Zaporozhye area over the past week, the ministry reported.
"In the Zaporozhye direction, Russian forces conducted active defense operations, repelling 19 attacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 65th and 118th mechanized and 82nd air assault brigades near the settlements of Rabotino and Verbovoye in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.
The enemy’s losses in the Zaporozhye direction over the past week totaled over 435 personnel, 15 tanks, 17 armored combat vehicles, 16 motor vehicles and 17 field artillery guns, the ministry specified.
Kiev loses 485 troops in Kherson area over past week
Russian forces struck Ukrainian army units in the Kherson area, killing and wounding roughly 485 enemy troops over the past week, the ministry reported.
"The Ukrainian army’s losses totaled as many as 485 personnel killed and wounded, 11 field artillery guns and 20 motor vehicles as a result of pre-emptive operations by Russian forces and artillery fire over the week," the ministry said.
Russian air defenses destroy 208 Ukrainian military UAVs over week
Russian air defense forces destroyed 208 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the past week, the ministry reported.
"Air defense capabilities destroyed 208 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the reporting period," the ministry said.
Russian air defenses intercept 19 HIMARS rockets, 2 ATACMS missiles over past week
Russian air defense forces intercepted 19 HIMARS rockets, two ATACMS missiles, two Neptune missiles, six HARM anti-radar missiles, eight JDAM smart bombs and an S-200 missile over the past week, the ministry reported.
"[Russian air defense capabilities] intercepted: 19 rockets of the HIMARS and four rockets of the Uragan multiple launch rocket systems, two ATACMS tactical missiles, two Neptune anti-ship missiles, six HARM anti-radiation missiles, eight JDAM guided air bombs and an S-200 surface-to-air missile converted for striking ground targets," the ministry said.
Over 50 soldiers from six Ukrainian army brigades surrender to Russian troops over week
Over 50 soldiers from six Ukrainian army brigades voluntarily surrendered to Russian troops over the past week, the ministry reported.
"During the week, 54 servicemen from the Ukrainian army’s 54th mechanized, 56th, 57th and 58th motorized infantry, 110th and 115th territorial defense brigades voluntarily surrendered to Russian troops," the ministry said.
Within the area of responsibility of Russia’s battlegroup West, in the Soledar-Bakhmut and south Donetsk directions, "a critically low level of the Ukrainian army’s morale and psychological condition" is observed, the ministry reported.
The T-80 is a Russian battle tank designed for maneuverability, speed, and firepower
Israel’s claims that it is only bombing Gaza to eliminate Hamas are “insane,” political analyst Jackson Hinkle said in an interview with RT on Thursday. He argued that Israeli forces appear to be focusing on targeting the civilian population of Gaza in their ongoing campaign.
“They’ve bombed everything but Hamas inside of Gaza,” the host of ‘The Dive with Jackson Hinkle’ said, accusing Israel of targeting various civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, UN and Red Crescent facilities, mosques, churches, homes, and even evacuee convoys.
The analyst suggested that this is because Israel does not want a Palestinian state, and that the true purpose of its operation in Gaza is not to defeat Hamas, but rather to force Palestinians out and take over the enclave “once and for all.”
“The reason why they’re doing all of this is that they know they can’t defeat Hamas. That’s why they haven’t gone into Gaza. They know that if they will, they’ll probably have a response from many Arab states, and maybe Iran as well. They know that in a war of that magnitude they wouldn’t win,” Hinkle claimed.
He argued that while Israeli authorities have attempted to paint Hamas as being aligned with or comparable to Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), Israel’s own actions in Gaza seem to closely resemble terrorist tactics.
Commenting on Washington’s announcement that it will “stand forever” with Israel and President Joe Biden’s proposal of a $14 billion package of military aid to the Jewish state, Hinkle called to “defund Israel” and “defund Ukraine” as well.
“Why is it that US taxpayer dollars are going to nations like this? Or more importantly, nations that are committing such horrific war crimes on a daily basis,” Hinkle questioned. He stated that the US is currently experiencing a crisis on its own southern border and is dealing with over 500,000 homeless people, 60,000 of which he claimed are veterans.
“It makes no sense to me that we’re doing this and Joe Biden just sent about 900 US Marines to Israel,” Hinkle said, adding that he believes “we’re about to see a very big war.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been relentlessly bombarding Gaza for almost three weeks, following the October 7 surprise attack on Israel by Hamas, which claimed 1,400 lives. The Gaza Health Ministry has since reported that Israeli strikes have killed over 7,000 people. On Friday, the ministry published the names of 6,747 people, including 2,665 children, it claims have been killed by the IDF. It noted that the list is incomplete as many bodies remain unidentified or missing.
