The Israeli Government have cut internet and communications in Gaza overnight, meaning anything that happens there is “in darkness”. 

That’s according to Cork Beo Editor Joe O’Shea, who told The Anton Savage Show it’s now going to be extremely difficult to get information from within Gaza. 

“I was watching CNN this morning, and they had a guy reporting live from the outskirts of Gaza – he was saying he was getting news was he had a contact inside Gaza who had an American SIM card that was picking up an Israeli tower,” he said. 

“What is happening in Gaza at the moment is happening in the dark. 

“You have the Israelis yesterday warning news agencies that they can't protect reporters who are inside Gaza. 

“UN staff have actually died inside Gaza.

Smoke and explosions caused by Israeli bombardment are seen on the horizon in northern Gaza, 28/10/2023. Image: AP Photo/Abed Khaled

“The situation is grim - it's terrible, but it's also happening in the dark and we don't really know what's going on there.” 

Security analyst Declan Power also told the show later the Israeli Government cut off power to weaken Hamas. 

“One can understand the communications blackout,” he said. 

“A lot has been written about it from the perspective of the humanitarian side of things, which of course is understandable because undeniably civilians will suffer. 

“But they want to ensure that Hamas do not have the communication resources necessary to conduct effective defence and indeed offense operations.” 

Attack with collateral damage 'impossible'

Mr Power said we are “teetering right on the precipice of full spectrum attack by Israeli forces into Gaza”. 

“Hamas’ entire strategic footprint is based on the fact that they have welded themselves into the civilian community,” he said. 

“It makes very well nearly impossible for an adversary to attack them without collateral damage – an awful phrase – or without damage to civilians. 

“Most of what Israel say, based on my own experience of the Middle East, is probably true about the [Hamas] attacks coming from civilian areas besides schools beside hospitals. 

“Therefore, they feel they have the right to respond to the area of the attack.” 

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, 28/10/2023 Image: AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg

Jonathan Healy said the attacks overnight on Gaza were not “ground defences” but attacks from the sea and air as the Israeli Government try to “level pretty much everything” in order to target Hamas tunnels in the city. 

“So when [the IDF] go into Gaza, it’s only going to get worse,” he said. 

“This is just going to continue to play out with a tragic loss of life.” 

Listen back here: