1.5M Palestinians displaced in Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, says UN agency

Some 1.5 million of Gaza's 2.2 million residents have been displaced since Oct. 7, with nearly half of them taking shelter in about 150 local UN facilities, said the UN agency for Palestinian refugees or UNRWA on Sunday.

"Gaza is currently experiencing a communication blackout," the UNRWA said on X, around the time news emerged that Israel had again cut Gaza off from communications.

It added that 48 UNRWA facilities have been damaged in various parts of Gaza since Oct. 7, when the current conflict began.

"UNRWA is not able to get through to the vast majority of our team," it said.

It pointed out that "the residents of Gaza have become completely isolated from their loved ones and the rest of the world."

Earlier the Palestinian Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministry, along with the Palestinian Telecommunications Company, stated that Israel had cut off all forms of communication services to the Gaza Strip, marking the third disruption in approximately 10 days.