JERUSALEM – Israel’s Energy Minister Eli Cohen announced on Sunday that he had ordered an immediate halt to electricity supply to Gaza, just a week after Israel blocked all aid into the Palestinian territory.
“We will use all the tools at our disposal to bring back the hostages and ensure that Hamas is no longer in Gaza the day after the war,” Cohen said in a video statement.
The only power line from Israel to Gaza supplies a key water desalination plant, serving over 600,000 people. While Gazans rely mainly on solar panels and fuel generators, the power cut is expected to worsen the already dire humanitarian situation.
Aid Blockade & Ceasefire Tensions
The decision follows Israel’s move to block aid deliveries after the ceasefire expired on March 1. Israel insists on extending the first phase of the truce until mid-April, while Hamas demands progress toward a permanent ceasefire.
Hamas accused Israel of “collective punishment”, saying the blockade also affects Israeli hostages still in Gaza.
Israel’s “Hell Plan”, reported by Kan News, outlines further pressure on Hamas, including:
Displacing residents from northern Gaza to the south
Halting electricity supply
Resuming full-scale military operations
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Hamas of “consequences it cannot imagine” if hostages are not released. Of the 251 captives taken during the October 7, 2023 attack, 58 remain in Gaza, including 34 confirmed dead.