Hamas Clamps Blockade on Mobile Phone Service

Hamas has shut down the offices of the sole mobile phone company Jawwal, which is part of a Palestinian Authority conglomerate called the Palestinian Telecommunication Company, or Paltel.

It was founded by billionaire Mohammed Mustafa, one of Mahmoud Abbas' confidantes, and is part of an empire that would put Donald Trump to shame, if he knows the meaning of the word

The Ma'an News Agency reported, "A Hamas police vehicle arrived at Jawwal's Gaza headquarters early in the morning and prevented employees from entering or opening the branch…. Another company branch was closed in central Gaza City."

Paltel executive director Ammar al-Iker said that the closure increases the suffering of Palestinians, Ma'an added, in its name or his name, that the Arabs in Gaza are "under Israeli blockade."

The land blockade was lifted long ago, except for items that can clearly be used for terror, and the maritime blockade has been upheld as legal by the United Nations.

Egypt has clamped a blockade most of the time on the Rafah crossing into Gaza, and now Hamas has enforced a blockade on itself against mobile phone service.