~*~ The Chanukah War ~*~
'Cast Lead' Leaves Phoneless Terrorists Confused
The soldier was mortally wounded when a mortar shell landed near his unit near the northern Gaza town of Jebaliya.

by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu, Arutz Sheva
January 5, 2009

IAF Bombing has knocked out Gaza cell phones.
Photo: Flash 90
 

The "Cast Lead" counterterrorist campaign has spread to cyberspace and cell phones, leaving Hamas's terrorist army in confusion, unable to issue and receive orders efficiently. Almost of all of Gaza's cell phone system is out of order, television stations have been hit and the Hamas website is down.

The local phone company Paltel said that 90 percent of Gaza's cellular system is out of order. Compounding the problem are the downing of landlines and the inability of technicians to reach work sites. Switchboards and mobile communications equipment have sustained heavy damage in air raids.

Hamas's leaders, who have been forced underground, have been forced to rely on old-fashioned walkie-talkies to maintain communication with terrorists. Most of the upper echelon orders are coming from Hamas headquarters in Damascus, manned by Khaled Mashaal.

Paltel has warned subscribers that they may be completely cut off from the outside world. Electricity blackouts have made it difficult for the population to receive radio and television programs, and television stations that have not been destroyed by aerial strikes often are not able to broadcast.

Paltel said three of its technicians have died or have suffered injuries.

The Hamas website is down after several attempts to put in back on the Internet. Israel previously has hacked other Arab-language sites with messages to the public that it is being exploited by Hamas leaders.

Hamas issued a statement accusing the "The Americans and Zionists" of trying to silence communications. One website that was hacked issued calls for Jihad, the Arabic term for "holy war" on Israel.