STORY: Humanitarian crisis worsens as conflict continues amid communications blackout in Gaza
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 20, 2024
DATELINE: Jan. 21, 2024
LENGTH: 00:04:03
LOCATION: Gaza/Jerusalem
CATEGORY: MILITARY/SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): AHMED ABU SIEF, Gaza resident
2. various of ruins in Gaza (shooting time: Jan. 15, 2023)
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): NOUR YASSIN, Gaza resident
4. various of ruins in Gaza (shooting time: Jan. 15, 2023)
5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): HATEM AL-GHAMRI, Mayor of Al-Maghazi
6. various of ruins in Gaza (shooting time: Jan. 15, 2023)
7. SOUNDBITE 4 (Arabic): MOHAMED AL-HAYEK, Gaza resident
8. SOUNDBITE 5 (Arabic): BAHAA AL-HAYEK, Gaza resident
9. various of Gazans trying to get communications and Internet services
10. STANDUP (English): ZHANG TIANLANG, Xinhua correspondent in Jerusalem

STORYLINE:

Gaza

The Israel-Hamas conflict has ravaged the Gaza Strip for more than three months.

Gaza health officials say more than 24,000 people have been killed in Gaza over the past three months, with more than 62,000 others injured.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): AHMED ABU SIEF, Gaza resident
"We pulled out 11 bodies, including my uncle, his sons, daughters, and their children. They were displaced from Jabalia to Al-Maghazi and died as a result of Israeli warplane bombing."

Civilian buildings, hospitals, schools, and infrastructure have also been destroyed. 

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): NOUR YASSIN, Gaza resident
"Our losses reached about 5 million U.S. dollars. This factory, which my father established in 1970, was destroyed over one night. 
I feel like I'm living in a nightmare, and I can't cope with what's happening yet. I believe that the commercial, economic, and industrial sectors in the Gaza Strip will take 50 years to gradually recover."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): HATEM AL-GHAMRI, Mayor of Al-Maghazi
"The destruction only happens for the sake of devastation. All residential buildings, factories, and infrastructure are being targeted without discrimination.
My message to the international community is a call to stand with the Gaza Strip against this ferocious aggression to annihilate the people, their capabilities, and life here. Everyone must play an effective and constructive role in restoring life here."

Meanwhile, the Gaza Strip suffered its 9th communications blackout since Oct. 7, 2023. 

SOUNDBITE 4 (Arabic): MOHAMED AL-HAYEK, Gaza resident
"We are currently suffering from an 8-day internet and communications outage here. We have to use an eSIM for those purposes."

SOUNDBITE 5 (Arabic): BAHAA AL-HAYEK, Gaza resident
"I hope that communications and Internet services will work again so that this suffering ends. We had to leave the places where we were displaced and walked about 2 kilometers to get here to access the Internet, which exposed us to danger."

Israel 

In Israel, protesters sought to put an end to the conflict and ensure the safety of hostages. 

STANDUP (English): ZHANG TIANLANG, Xinhua correspondent in Jerusalem
"Hundreds of protesters gathered in the northern Israeli city of Haifa and asked the government to stop military operation in Gaza and secure the release of all hostages. Also, some relatives of the hostages gathered and camped outside the private home of Prime Minister Netanyahu to protest the government's inaction to secure the release of their loved ones.
Earlier on Saturday, the New York Times quoted four senior Israeli army commanders as saying that the dual objectives of freeing the hostages and destroying Hamas are incompatible. The report was soon denied by Israel Defense Forces, saying the report does not reflect the official position of the Israeli army."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Gaza/Jerusalem.
(XHTV)