Analysis | Gaza’s Internet Dependency on Israel
This technical connection between Gaza and Israel is considered confidential. Israel wants to maintain control over this connection and utilize it as a defense or diplomatic lever
Ami Rojkes Dombe
| 31/10/2023
According to recent reports in the international media, Israel has disconnected the communication network in Gaza as part of the ground maneuvers currently taking place.
One could estimate that the disconnection of the cellular network is due to operational needs to prevent the enemy from communicating via cellular devices.
How is this actual disconnection carried out? To start with, Gaza does not have subsea links to switches abroad that connect it to the internet (see here). It also does not have fiber-optic cables connecting it to Egypt.
Under the Oslo Accords, Israel demanded control over the communication infrastructure in the West Bank (Areas A, B, C) and in the Gaza Strip. The goal is clear. Israel wants to maintain control to use this as a security or diplomatic lever.
The technical connection between Gaza and Israel is considered confidential and is not publicly disclosed. Within Gaza, local companies, such as Jawwal, are responsible for distributing signals through antennas and underground cabling between sites.
On Sunday, it was reported that the United States pressured Israel to restore communication to Gaza. However, it is doubtful whether Israel will agree to this as long as it has forces in Gaza.
It is possible Israel might agree to do so only for a limited time, for humanitarian purposes, and only when the forces have completed their mission and are in a defensive position. During an attack, cellular communication can assist Hamas.
Another angle that has emerged in recent days is that Elon Mask, the owner of the telecommunications company Star-Link, will provide terminals for mobile carriers to Gaza. In doing so, he would effectively bypass the Israeli blockade.
Recently, there has been an Israeli attempt in the Ashkelon Regional Council to establish such a terminal with a substantial bandwidth of approximately 140 megabits.
It is important to remember that blocking Star-Link's trunked radio constellation is challenging. Russians have been attempting to do so in Ukraine for two years with limited success. We're not talking about blocking a single satellite, but thousands that operate on different routes with real-time routing capabilities.
Following conversations with senior Israeli and likely also American officials, Musk tweeted that he intends to provide (if at all) the terminals only to international organizations operating in Gaza. We will have to wait to see how this story unfolds.
Another alternative is cellular antennas on the Egyptian side. In the last few days, Egyptian press reported that local companies are willing to deploy antennas to the southern Gaza Strip from the Egyptian side to enable communication, at least in parts of Gaza.
This alternative is not under Israeli control, unless Israel wants to jam the Egyptian signals. It ןs worth mentioning that in the past, Egyptian communication disruptions for military purposes interfered with reception in communities in the Gaza envelope and along the border with Egypt."
This technical connection between Gaza and Israel is considered confidential. Israel wants to maintain control over this connection and utilize it as a defense or diplomatic lever
According to recent reports in the international media, Israel has disconnected the communication network in Gaza as part of the ground maneuvers currently taking place.
One could estimate that the disconnection of the cellular network is due to operational needs to prevent the enemy from communicating via cellular devices.
How is this actual disconnection carried out? To start with, Gaza does not have subsea links to switches abroad that connect it to the internet (see here). It also does not have fiber-optic cables connecting it to Egypt.
Under the Oslo Accords, Israel demanded control over the communication infrastructure in the West Bank (Areas A, B, C) and in the Gaza Strip. The goal is clear. Israel wants to maintain control to use this as a security or diplomatic lever.
The technical connection between Gaza and Israel is considered confidential and is not publicly disclosed. Within Gaza, local companies, such as Jawwal, are responsible for distributing signals through antennas and underground cabling between sites.
On Sunday, it was reported that the United States pressured Israel to restore communication to Gaza. However, it is doubtful whether Israel will agree to this as long as it has forces in Gaza.
It is possible Israel might agree to do so only for a limited time, for humanitarian purposes, and only when the forces have completed their mission and are in a defensive position. During an attack, cellular communication can assist Hamas.
Another angle that has emerged in recent days is that Elon Mask, the owner of the telecommunications company Star-Link, will provide terminals for mobile carriers to Gaza. In doing so, he would effectively bypass the Israeli blockade.
Recently, there has been an Israeli attempt in the Ashkelon Regional Council to establish such a terminal with a substantial bandwidth of approximately 140 megabits.
It is important to remember that blocking Star-Link's trunked radio constellation is challenging. Russians have been attempting to do so in Ukraine for two years with limited success. We're not talking about blocking a single satellite, but thousands that operate on different routes with real-time routing capabilities.
Following conversations with senior Israeli and likely also American officials, Musk tweeted that he intends to provide (if at all) the terminals only to international organizations operating in Gaza. We will have to wait to see how this story unfolds.
Another alternative is cellular antennas on the Egyptian side. In the last few days, Egyptian press reported that local companies are willing to deploy antennas to the southern Gaza Strip from the Egyptian side to enable communication, at least in parts of Gaza.
This alternative is not under Israeli control, unless Israel wants to jam the Egyptian signals. It ןs worth mentioning that in the past, Egyptian communication disruptions for military purposes interfered with reception in communities in the Gaza envelope and along the border with Egypt."
