Israel ordered all the supply of electricity in Gaza on Sunday in an effort to press Hamas to release the remaining Israeli hostages that are held in the territory.
The announcement of Energy Minister Eli Cohen followed a week after Israel interrupted all supplies of assistance in the territory, which has more than two million inhabitants.
In a video statement on Sunday, Cohen said: “We will use all the tools available to bring back hostages and ensure that Hamas is no longer in Gaza the day after [the war]. “
The decision to reduce electricity is expected to primarily affect the operation of the Desalinization plant that are key to providing clean drinking water.
The government announced that she did not turn off the cutting of water supplies.
In his statement, Cohen said: “I just signed the command to stop delivering electricity to the Gaza tape immediately.”
Israel had previously cut in Gaza most of the electricity supply in Gaza.
Discussing extension fragile truceThe first phase is expected to end on March 1 on Monday in Qatar.
Israel wants Hamas to accept the extension of the first phase of his truce.
But Hamas wants to start negotiations on the second phase of a tribute, which would see the release of the remaining hostages from Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the permanent end of the war.
Hamas is believed to hold 24 live hostages, as well as the bodies of 35 others.
A militant group – who warned that the cutting of supplies in Gaza would also affect hostage – said Sunday that she had included the latest circle of conversation about the interruption of fire with Egyptian mediators without changes in her position and called for the second phase of the truce.
The coastal territory of Gaza and its infrastructure are generally devastated by the war, and generators and solar panels are used for some of the power supply.
Israel faced criticism for reducing supplies in Gaza.
“Any denial of the entry of life needs for civilians may amount to the collective punishment,” the United Nations Human Rights Office announced on Friday.
Hamas reiterated his support to the proposal for establishing an independent committee of technocrats to run Gaza until Palestinians maintain presidential and legislative elections.
This committee would work under the auspices of the Palestinian Administration (Pa), based on the occupied west coast.
Israel rejected and who has any role in Gaza, but did not present an alternative to the post -war rule.
Hamas’s attack in October 2023 killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in Israel and saw 251 people who took hostages. Most were released in fire interruption agreements or other arrangements.
The Israeli military offensive killed more than 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Ministry of Health in Hamas, which does not say how many dead were militants.
