GAZA: The two telecom companies in Gaza have said all energy sources supplying the network had run out and therefore all services in the territory were down, Reuters reports.

As of late Thursday night, there was no further word from the companies, Paltel and Jawwal, whose internet, mobile phone and landline networks remained inoperable.

Israel refuses fuel imports, saying Hamas could use them for military purposes.

With communications out and in the absence of fuel, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said it was impossible to coordinate humanitarian aid truck convoys.

“If the fuel does not come in, people will start to die because of the lack of fuel. Exactly as from when, I don’t know. But it will be sooner rather than later,” said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini.

The Israeli army has said its troops also found a vehicle in the hospital containing a large number of weapons, Reuters reports.

Hamas said in a statement late on Thursday that claims by the Pentagon and US State Department that the group uses Al-Shifa hospital for military purposes “is a repetition of a blatantly false narrative, demonstrated by the weak and ridiculous performances of the occupation army spokesman”.