The Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen ordered an immediate cessation of electricity supply in Gaza, threatening the operation of the desalination factories of the enclave in the middle of a continuous aid shortage in the sacred month of Ramadan.
In a post on X, Cohen said he had signed an order to “cut electricity to the Gaza strip immediately”. “Enough with the conversation, it is action time!” He added.
The announcement of Sunday comes more than a week after Israel cut all the supplies of goods on the territory to more than two million people after having René in the cease-fire agreement which ended the Gaza war of 15 months. Nearly 50,000 Palestinians were killed and large expanses of Gaza have been transformed into rubble after a non-stop Israeli bombardment.
Israel wants to prolong the first phase of the agreement in three phases, while the Hamas group wants the agreement to go into phase two, as initially agreed by the two parties. Analysts say that Israel’s refusal to enter phase two shows its reluctance to remove its troops from the Philadelphi corridor, a narrow strip of land that separates Gaza from Egypt.
Hamas accused Israel of “cheap and unacceptable blackmail” of its decision to stop the supply of electricity to Gaza ravaged by the war in order to put pressure on the group to release the captives.
“We strongly condemn the decision of the occupation to cut the electricity to Gaza, after having deprived it of food, medicine and water,” said Ezzat al-Rishq, member of the Hamas political bureau, in a press release, adding that it was “a desperate attempt to put pressure on our people and its resistance through chanting and unacceptable tactics”.
Aid groups and rights activists accused Israel of having committed crimes against humanity and violating international humanitarian laws for having cut aid.
The inhabitants of Gaza find it difficult to obtain bread and basic supplies, as the total blockade of Israel has forced the closure of several bakeries and stores.
The Hind Khoudary of Tel Aviv Tribune, reporting from Gaza City, said that despite the end of devastating air strikes on Gaza, civilians continue to suffer due to more than a week of Israeli blockade in place.
“Many Palestinians are unable to buy these products, and most of the Gaza population is currently based on food assistance.
“Food, water and electricity, all aspects of Palestinian life are affected by Israeli actions,” said Khoudary, adding that the situation on the ground remains “catastrophic”.
Hamas has repeatedly called for an immediate start to negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire. A source from Hamas said on Sunday that his delegation had now left for Doha, Qatar, after interviews in Cairo, Egypt.
Tareq Abu Azzoum of Tel Aviv Tribune, postponing from Khan Younis, said that Hamas representatives were in Cairo to hold meetings with Egyptian officials on the possibilities of implementing the second phase of the cease-fire agreement.
“Hamas has published a declaration of agreement on the creation of an independent technocratic committee which will direct the Gaza Strip and reiterated calls for the entry of humanitarian aid,” added Azzoum, saying that the group also calls for the total withdrawal of territory in the context of any future transaction.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the other hand, said that he would send the delegates to Doha on Monday.
Palestinians killed in Gaza
Earlier Sunday, two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza, according to an Tel Aviv Tribune correspondent, while discussions on the fresh truce should resume Doha on Monday.
The attack on Sunday in the Shujayea district of Gaza City injured several others, with doctors of the Arabic hospital al-Ahli describing the condition of some of the wounded as critical.
The Israeli army said its air strike targeted combatants who “were identified operating near the troops (Israeli) and try to plant an explosive device in the soil in northern Gaza”.
Khoudary of Tel Aviv Tribune said that Israel continued to rape the ceasefire that entered into force on January 19. “According to official sources, since the start of the Gaza ceasefire, at least 116 Palestinians have been killed and at least 490 others injured,” she said.
“This is why the Palestinians expect phase two of the ceasefire, while all Israeli soldiers are supposed to withdraw from all parts of the Gaza Strip.”
The first phase of six weeks saw the release of 25 living Israeli captives and eight bodies in exchange for some 1,800 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.
During the second phase, Hamas is expected to release all the remaining live captives, mainly male soldiers, in exchange for the release of more Palestinians detained in the Israeli penitentiary system. In addition, according to the document agreed in January, Israel will launch its “complete withdrawal” from Gaza.
The third phase will see the bodies of the remaining captives presented in exchange for a reconstruction plan of three to five years for Gaza to be carried out under international supervision.
On Sunday, American President Donald Trump’s envy Adam Boehler told NBC News that US direct meetings with the United States with Hamas in Doha on the release of captives in Gaza were extremely “useful”.
Boehler said he thought something could “meet in Gaza in a few weeks”, but did not develop.
Trump had previously launched a widely condemned plan to expel the Palestinians from Gaza, encouraging Arab leaders to offer an alternative.
Their proposal would see the reconstruction of Gaza funded by a trust fund, the Palestinian authority based in Ramallah returning to govern the territory.
“We need more discussions on this subject, but this is a first step in good faith,” said Steve Witkoff, the Middle East envoy to Washington journalists in response to the Arab plan.
Witkoff will return to the region this week while going to Saudi Arabia for talks on the war in Ukraine.
Israelis rally
Meanwhile, family members of Israeli captives asked the government to fully implement the ceasefire.
“War could resume in a week,” said Einav Zangauker, mother of Matan Zangauker, a crowd in Tel Aviv.
“War will not bring the hostages back to the house; It will kill them.
Yoni Ben Menachem, an analyst based in Western Jerusalem, said that Israel’s return to cease-fire negotiations is an “authentic decision” by the government because it wishes to guarantee the release of the remaining captives.
However, “the military option” remains on the table and it could be decided on Sunday evening when the Israeli cabinet meets, he said.
Hamas said he was ready to abandon his role of governance in Gaza but refused to sleep his arms.
Meanwhile, the occupied Israeli raids were continued tirelessly. Sunday, Israeli tanks entered the areas in and around the village of Wadi Burqin, according to local media.
The Israeli operation in progress in Jenin, Tulkarem and in other regions began a few days after the ceasefire in Gaza, with tens killed, hundreds of destroyed houses and more than 40,000 displaced people.