Internet access in the Gaza Strip was restored on Monday following a complete three-day internet blackout due to Israel’s apparent targeting of Palestine’s communications infrastructure, allowing civilians to access essential information and the resumption of humanitarian operations.

Palestine’s Telecommunications Regulation Authority accused Israel of “systematically” targeting Gaza’s communications infrastructure. Israel has not responded to these claims, according to the Times of Israel. After being restored on Saturday, internet access was lost again in South and Central Gaza on Monday for about eight hours before being restored.

The UN reported that the internet blackout “brought the humanitarian network to a standstill” by preventing humanitarian organizations from coordinating humanitarian efforts. In addition, given the restrictions that Israel has imposed on civilian mobility, internet access is essential for maintaining civilians’ access to basic necessities and emergency services.

Under Rule 55 in international humanitarian law, all parties within a conflict must allow unimpeded humanitarian access to civilians. Since the disruption of civilian internet access impedes humanitarian operations in Gaza, the deliberate disruption of internet access could be considered a breach of this rule. International law also forbids the attack of civilian infrastructure or attacks on military targets that are expected to have a disproportionate impact on civilian infrastructure, unless such an attack can be considered a military objective.

The recent interruptions to civilian internet access come following recent UN statements that accuse Israel of illegally impeding access to humanitarian aid in Gaza. This comes amidst an ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza as Israel continues military operations that are resulting in the displacement of large portions of the population.

The current war in Gaza previously resulted in communications blackouts in Gaza in 2023.