Israel will cut off all remaining power supply to Gaza in a clear attempt to increase pressure on Hamas, a territory where a fragile ceasefire is increasingly chaotic multi-track negotiation.
The potential consequences of Israel’s decision to over the 2.3 million residents of the devastating Palestinian territory are unclear, as most rely on diesel generators to gain power.
But humanitarian officials in Gaza contacted Sunday afternoon that they believe the only working desalination plant would be forced to close, reducing already trivial cleaning water. Others suggest that the remaining sewage treatment plants may be affected.
Israel’s Energy Minister Eli Cohen said in a video announcing the directive that Israel will use “all means… to ensure the return of all Israeli hostages” and that Hamas will not stay in Gaza after the war.
Israel tried to force Hamas to accept the extension until the mid-first phase of the ceasefire, which took effect in mid-January but officially ended last weekend. Israel has cut off all supplies of goods to the territory, claiming that Hamas is stealing aid and profits from its distributions.
Israel also stepped up its strike in Gaza, while military officials briefed local and international journalists in preparation for a major offensive.
There are daily reports of casualties caused by Israeli fighter jets, drones or artillery.
The IDF carried out an air strike in northern Gaza on Sunday, and a spokesman said militants “try to plant explosive devices on the ground in northern Gaza near Israeli forces”.
The next day, an air strike in Rafa, southern Gaza targeted a drone that entered the territory from Israel and a group of suspicious militants.
Israel hopes Hamas releases more of the 58 hostages of the group and its allies in Gaza. Less than half of the people are still alive. Hamas rejected any extensions and hoped to start negotiations immediately on the second phase of the ceasefire, which was intended to bring a permanent end to the war and should follow the first phase directly.
Representatives of the organization met with mediators in Cairo over the weekend, stressing the urgent need for “unlimited or conditional” to restore the delivery of humanitarian aid to the territory.
“We call on mediators in Egypt and Qatar and the guarantors of the U.S. government to ensure [Israel] Hazem Qassem, a spokesman for Hamas, told Agence France-Presse to comply with the agreement…and to proceed with the second phase under the agreed terms.
Hamas’ main demands for the second phase include Palestinians held in Israeli prisons in exchange for hostages, evacuation of all Israel from Gaza, a permanent ceasefire and lifting of the Israeli blockade.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it would send representatives to Doha on Monday to attend talks on continuing the ceasefire in one form or another.
The direct dialogue between the United States and Hamas is unprecedented, mainly to free five American citizens of the hostages Hamas still holds. Only one is considered alive.
Last week, U.S. media revealed that the meeting with Hamas on Sunday was “very helpful” by the U.S. envoy involved in the direct talks, and said he was confident that he could reach a hostage release agreement “within a few weeks.” In a speech to CNN, Adam Boehler admitted that he faced with leaders of the radical Islamic group, which has been listed as a terrorist organization since 1997, but did not rule out further meetings.
Boller said he knew Israel’s “shock” that the United States had talks with the group, but said he had been seeking to start “fragile” negotiations. He added: “I think it might be possible to merge in a few weeks…I think there is a deal that will get all the prisoners out, not just Americans.”
The truce in January was suspended for more than 15 months in Gaza, with almost the entire population displaced, and a large swath of the territory was reduced to rubble, killing more than 48,000 people (mostly civilians, mostly by Israeli military offensives). The war was triggered by Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel in October 2023, with 1,200 people, mostly civilians, killed and hijacked 251 people.
The first phase of the six-week ceasefire led to the exchange of bodies of 25 Israeli hostages and eight other people to release about 1,800 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. It also allows much-needed food, shelter and medical assistance to re-enter Gaza.
UN rights experts accused the government of “weapon hunger” as Israel subsequently cuts off the aid stream.
Last week, Donald Trump threatened to further undermine Gaza, sending out what he called a “final warning” to the Hamas leader if all the remaining hostages are not released. The U.S. president said in February that the United States wanted to monitor the massive displacement of Palestinians in Gaza to rebuild the territory into the “Middle Eastern Riviera”. On Sunday, Israel’s far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said the proposal was “taking shape”.
Smotrich said the government plans to establish an “immigration bureau” to assist Gaza residents who want to leave the territory permanently.
Arab leaders have proposed an alternative plan under which the reconstruction of Gaza will be funded through a trust fund and the Ramala-based Palestinian authorities return to the territory.
At a weekend rally in Tel Aviv, family members of the Israeli hostages demanded that their government implement a complete ceasefire. “War can recover within a week,” Matan Zangauker’s mother Einav Zangauker told the crowd. “War does not take hostages home. It will kill them.”
