Historically, online spaces have been more restricted and difficult to access in Palestine than in other countries. This is largely due to interference with available technology, online censorship, and surveillance, including:

• Israel’s long-standing ban on technology upgrades means that people can only access slow, unreliable 2G service in Gaza and 3G in the West Bank.
• Unequal content moderation practices, including by Meta, that disproportionately suppress Palestinian and Arabic-language content, leading to civil society calls to #StopSilencingPalestine.
• Pervasive online surveillance including the use of biometric surveillance technologies and the targeting of Palestinian human rights defenders’ mobile devices with notorious Pegasus spyware, making digital communication unsafe for members of civil society and Palestinians at large.
• Previous military offensives in Gaza, where vital civilian internet infrastructure was repeatedly targeted, leading to near-complete internet blackouts.

Since the Israeli siege on Gaza escalated, access to internet and telecommunications services have been severely limited. This is a result of attacks on civilian infrastructure, fuel depletion, and deliberate shutdowns by Israeli authorities, including:

• Al–Watan Tower, a building that houses media offices and serves as a hub for internet service providers has been targeted by Israeli airstrikes. 
• The offices of two other ISPs, Paltel and Jawwal, were also destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
• Based on our analysis of available data, as of October 31, 15 of the 19 providers operating in Gaza were facing a complete shutdown of their mobile and broadband services, and the internet traffic across Gaza had decreased by over 80%.
• As of November 20, there had been four full communication blackouts in Gaza: on October 27-29, November 1, November 5, and on November 16 as Paltel announced the shutdown of their services in Gaza due to fuel depletion.

In 2023 alone, people in Gaza have endured 16 internet shutdowns; a form of digital occupation used to silence millions of people trapped and struggling to survive in Gaza, and to further isolate them from the outside world. Digital blackouts, fuel shortages and attacks on telecom infrastructure have severely crippled essential services, deepening the humanitarian crisis. Rebuilding Gaza’s decimated internet infrastructure should be at the center of post-war reconstructions.

Since the Israeli attacks on Gaza escalated, access to internet and telecommunications services have been severely limited due to attacks on civilian infrastructure, fuel depletion, and deliberate shutdowns by Israeli authorities. Israeli airstrikes targeted key telecom sites, includingAl–Watan Tower, a building that houses media offices and serves as a hub for internet service providers, and . the offices of two other ISPs, Paltel and Jawwal. Of Gaza’s 19 ISP, 15 experienced total service shutdowns in 2023, while the remaining four faced severe disruptions. Tragically, two Jawwal technicians were killed by an Israeli missile while attempting to restore connectivity in Khan Younis.

For years, Palestinian voices have been systematically silenced online. Since October 7, 2023, social media platforms including Meta have disproportionately removed Palestinian and pro-Palestinian content, erasing the narratives of those directly impacted by the war, as well as expressions of support for their plight. Tech companies such as Google and Amazon have yet to clarify whether they are facilitating Israel’s military operations in Gaza, and there have been widespread concerns raised about the use of AI systems for automated targeting in Gaza.

Media reports highlight the use of AI systems by the Israeli military for automated targeting, including tools like “Lavender,” “The Gospel,” and “Where’s Daddy?” which monitor individuals in real-time and help generate targets for strikes. These technologies have raised concerns about their role in civilian casualties and the broader ethical implications of using AI in warfare.

Civil society has issued 25 recommendations for parties to the conflict, international organizations, global leaders, private sector actors, and other international stakeholders in support of an immediate physical and digital ceasefire. Individuals can support by holding their home governments accountable for responding to these calls to action, speaking out in support of a permanent ceasefire, seeking out trustworthy news sources, and amplifying the voices of Palestinians who are being silenced online.