Israel-Hamas War Day 22 Top Developments: Internet, mobile services cut off in Gaza; Israeli warplanes bomb Hamas tunnels, signals attack escalation

In an intensified bombardment on Friday night, Israel knocked out internet and communication services in the Gaza Strip, isolating its 2.3 million residents from both internal and external communication. This action created a virtual information blackout, as the military announced its plans to 'expand' ground operations in the region.

By early Saturday morning, a cutoff in internet and phone services had been continuing for more than 10 hours.

The cutoff resulted in an inability to ascertain casualties from strikes and gather information on ground incursions. The military’s announcement signaled it was moving closer to an all-out invasion of Gaza.

Hamas has said today (October 28) that its militants in Gaza were ready to confront Israeli attacks with "full force" after Israel's military widened its air and ground attacks on the territory. Hamas fighters were reportedly clashing with Israeli troops in areas near the border after the latter intensified attacks in Gaza.

 

Israeli warplanes bombed Hamas tunnels and underground bunkers in the northern Gaza Strip today (October 28), the military said Saturday, signaling a further escalation in its ground operations towards a full invasion of the territory. Fighter jets hit dozens of underground targets, the military added as per AP.

India has abstained in the UN General Assembly on a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict, seeking to halt hostilities and ensure unobstructed humanitarian access in the Gaza Strip. Terrorism is a "malignancy" and knows no borders, nationality or race and the world should not buy into any justification of terror acts, India told in the Assembly as per PTI.

The 193 members of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), which met in a resumed 10th Emergency Special Session, voted on the draft resolution submitted by Jordan. The resolution titled “Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations” was overwhelmingly adopted with 120 nations voting in its favour, 14 against it and 45 abstaining. Besides India, countries that abstained included Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, Ukraine and the UK.

The number of Palestinian fatalities in Gaza has surpassed 7,300, with over 60 per cent of those casualties being minors and women, as reported by Gaza's Health Ministry.

A blockade on Gaza has meant dwindling supplies, and the UN warned that its aid operation helping hundreds of thousands of people was “crumbling” amid near-depleted fuel, news agency AP reported.

Meanwhile, over 1,400 people were slain in Israel during the October 7 attack by Hamas, as per the Israeli government. At least 229 hostages were taken into Gaza.

The US on Friday issued a second round of sanctions on the Palestinian group Hamas following its October 7 sttack on Israeli communities, including by targeting a Hamas official in Iran and members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The US Treasury Department said in a statement the measures targeted additional assets in a Hamas investment portfolio and people facilitating sanctions evasion by Hamas-affiliated companies.

Iran, the regional power that is currently under US sanctions, is seen by many in the West as having played an enabling role in the Hamas assault.

Russia on Friday defended its decision to invite a Hamas delegation to Moscow against strong Israeli criticism, saying it was necessary to maintain contacts with all sides in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Israel has described the decision as "deplorable" and urged Moscow to expel the delegation.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Hamas delegation had met with representatives of Russia's foreign ministry but not with President Vladimir Putin or Kremlin officials.