Gaming Editor Louis Wright explains the role of technology in the communication difficulties faced by civilians in the Gaza strip conflict.
In times of conflict, technology has always played an important part. The currently escalating situation in Gaza is no different. There are many ways modern forms of technology have seen use in the conflict for non-combat purposes, an exploration of which can help give better perspective to the struggles of the average citizen.
The most prevalent use of technology in Palestine that is pertinent to Britain is the ability for British-Palestinians to communicate with loved ones that are trapped in the warzone. With upwards of 8000 Palestinian people residing in the UK, there has been concern amongst them for the wellbeing of their families. Therefore the use of mobile phones, found to be owned by 2/3rds of the population in a 2017 report, has become incredibly relevant in helping people in Britain keep communication with those in Gaza over the last month.
With upwards of 8000 Palestinian people residing in the UK, there has been concern amongst them for the wellbeing of their families.
The majority of those in Palestine owning mobile devices and having access to communication technology also serves a different purpose however. That being the ability to capture on the ground footage of the conflict and share it online. With a dramatic uptick in the amount of content from the Gaza strip being shared, there has also been a rise in sympathy for the Palestinian civilians caught in the crossfire of the conflict.70% of the British population concerned for the safety of civilians caught in the war, and there have been a number of marches in support of the Palestinian people seeing upwards of 100,000 people turnout to the streets.
However, with the blackouts that have been frequenting the country, it has been difficult to keep in communication with those living there. With the people of Gaza having no accessible means of communication with the outside world presently, it is difficult for civilians to make informed decisions. This has led to confusion on where it is safe for refugees of the conflict to travel to, and has likely contributed to a higher death toll.
…with the blackouts that have been frequenting the country, it has been difficult to keep in communication with those living there
Another major issue presented by the lack of communication currently present is the potential for misinformation to be spread about the nature of the conflict. Many reports from the warzone have been found to be falsified. This is compounded by platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) being used to actively push false information due to changes in censorship and terms of service of the website. The impact that misinformation can have both internally to civilians on the ground and externally to those in other countries is massive in terms of how it can influence the perception of the conflict.
Technology can have influence in wartime, and the current conflict occurring in Palestine is no different. The ways through which communication occurs and the impact that it can have for people inside and outside of the country is important in ensuring the well-being of civilians caught in the crossfire of conflict.
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