In the midst of ongoing conflict, Gaza experiences yet another complete communications blackout while Israel's military announces the encirclement of Gaza City. The besieged coastal strip has been divided into two, marking a significant stage in Israel's war against the Hamas militant group. Troops are expected to enter Gaza City within the next 48 hours, as explosions were witnessed in the northern Gaza Strip after dark.

The loss of connectivity reported by internet access advocacy group NetBlocks.org and confirmed by Palestinian telecom company Paltel has further complicated the conveying of information about the new phase of the military offensive. As a result, communication with the majority of the UNRWA team members has been severed, according to U.N. Palestinian refugee agency spokesperson Juliette Touma.

Prior to this development, Israeli warplanes targeted two central Gaza refugee camps earlier on Sunday, resulting in the death of at least 53 people and injuring numerous others. Despite appeals for a temporary pause to provide aid to civilians in desperate need, Israel remains committed to its offensive against Hamas.

The casualties in Gaza have been devastating, with the local Health Ministry reporting over 9,700 Palestinian fatalities thus far. As Israeli troops advance into densely populated urban neighborhoods, this number is expected to rise. Overnight airstrikes in the Maghazi refugee camp claimed the lives of at least 40 individuals, including eight children and a baby. Another airstrike hit a house near a school in the Bureji refugee camp, resulting in the death of at least 13 people.

Israel has justified its continued bombardment by accusing Hamas of using civilians as human shields. Israeli forces have reported uncovering weapons caches, including explosives, suicide drones, and missiles, further escalating the tensions.

Amidst the ongoing crisis, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, following talks with Arab foreign ministers in neighboring Jordan. Abbas stressed that the Palestinian Authority would only assume control of Gaza as part of a comprehensive political solution leading to the establishment of an independent state encompassing the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories that Israel seized in the 1967 war.

Arab leaders have called for an immediate cease-fire, but Blinken cautioned against it, believing that such an action would only enable Hamas to regroup. The widespread destruction in northern Gaza has forced over 300,000 residents to seek shelter in U.N.-run facilities. A four-hour window was provided to residents to leave the north and head south, with many seen making the journey on foot, carrying their belongings and leading donkey carts.

The dire situation in Gaza has generated tensions across the region, with Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah exchanging fire along the border. Four civilians, including three children, were reportedly killed by an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon. In response, Hezbollah fired Grad rockets into Israel.

Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank, at least two Palestinians were shot dead during an Israeli arrest raid near Jerusalem. The ongoing violence has resulted in the deaths of approximately 150 Palestinians, largely during protests and clashes with Israeli forces.

The international community continues to express concern over the escalating hostilities, with many Israelis calling for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's resignation and the return of approximately 240 hostages held by Hamas. Amidst the chaos, a junior government minister, Amihai Eliyahu, faced backlash for suggesting in a radio interview that Israel could employ atomic bombs in Gaza.

The death toll continues to rise, with the Gaza Health Ministry reporting that 4,008 children have been killed, without providing a breakdown between civilians and fighters. The Israeli military, on the other hand, has confirmed the loss of 29 soldiers during the ground operation.