Israel has announced the immediate cessation of all electricity supply to the Gaza Strip, marking a significant escalation in the blockade of the region. Energy Minister Eli Cohen announced the decision late Sunday. This follows an announcement the previous week by the Netanyahu government to halt all aid shipments.
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03-10, 2025Hamas issued a statement condemning the cutting of electricity and the cessation of aid as "collective punishment and outright war crimes." Hamas also accused Israel of violating signed agreements and international law, stating: "The occupation's actions are a blatant violation of signed agreements, a violation of all humanitarian laws and customs, and a reaffirmation of the occupation's disrespect for its obligations."
The Israeli government has been attempting to pressure Hamas to accept a temporary extension of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire, thereby securing the release of more Israeli hostages. Hamas has rejected this proposal, accusing Israel of attempting to avoid negotiations for a lasting peace in the Gaza Strip and defining the aid restrictions as war crimes. Mr. Cohen posted on social media platform X: "Enough with the talk, it's time for action!"
This latest development will place immense strain on Gaza's energy infrastructure, as a large portion of the region's electricity supply comes from several Israeli transmission lines. Hamas confirmed that they had unprecedented direct talks with the Trump administration regarding the release of an American-Israeli hostage before the next round of Gaza ceasefire talks began in Qatar.
An Israeli delegation was dispatched to Doha on Monday to "advance negotiations" on the future of the ceasefire agreement that went into effect on January 19. Over the weekend, Hamas said that discussions with Egyptian officials, who are serving as mediators in the war, on the next phase of the fragile truce were "positive." A senior Hamas official subsequently confirmed to Reuters that direct discussions had taken place with the U.S. government regarding the fate of 21-year-old Edan Alexander, a hostage holding dual American and Israeli citizenship.
Last week, President Donald Trump stated that U.S. officials were in dialogue with Hamas, and his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, was expected to travel to Doha on Tuesday to participate in the negotiations. Hamas official Taher al-Nono told Reuters: "Several meetings have already taken place in Doha focusing on the release of a prisoner holding dual citizenship." He added, "We are dealing with this matter positively and flexibly in a way that serves the interests of the Palestinian people."
Given that Hamas is a designated terrorist organization under U.S. law, the United States has previously avoided direct negotiations with such groups. President Trump's hostage affairs envoy, Adam Boehler, stated that the U.S. had decided to hold talks with Hamas to "kickstart some negotiations that are in a very fragile place," adding that progress could be made "in a matter of weeks." He told CNN: "I wanted to say to Hamas, 'What is the endgame you want?' I think it was a very helpful meeting."
Mr. Boehler said he understood Israeli concerns about holding direct talks, but he insisted it was necessary. "We are the United States, we are not an agent of Israel, we have specific interests at play, and we did communicate back and forth," he said. Negotiations for the "second phase" of a Gaza ceasefire have stalled even before they truly began, with Hamas accusing Israel of avoiding negotiations in order to undermine the peace process.
The first phase of the ceasefire officially ended a week ago, and negotiations on next steps were scheduled to begin in early February but never materialized. On Sunday, after Hamas rejected a proposal to temporarily extend the first phase of the ceasefire until mid-April, Israel blocked all aid from entering Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the proposal, which was made by Mr. Witkoff, would have seen half of the remaining 59 hostages (both living and dead) still held by Hamas in Gaza released on the first day of the extended truce.
The remaining captives would be released once a permanent ceasefire agreement was reached. Hamas criticized the proposal, saying it deviated from the established phased approach to peace in Gaza and sought to further delay discussions on issues such as the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. Over the weekend, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said that Israel had a responsibility to "show good faith" in further negotiations, adding that direct talks with the United States could force Israel to change its position.
Despite the ceasefire agreement officially being in effect in the war-torn Gaza Strip, Israeli attacks have continued. On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that they had killed a number of Palestinians in northern Gaza, calling them "terrorists." The IDF said they were "attempting to plant explosive devices on the ground." Early Sunday morning, rocket sirens sounded near the southern Israeli town of Holit, close to the Gaza border.
The IDF quickly stated that this was likely the result of IDF activity in the area, rather than anything launched from Gaza by Hamas. Trump's proposed plan to control Gaza and resettle Palestinians in neighboring countries before reconstruction continues to significantly impact negotiations. Hamas and Arab nations have rejected the idea, insisting that there can be no permanent displacement.
But Israel's highly controversial far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that work was underway within the Israeli government to initiate a resettlement process. "There is a large immigration administration being prepared within the Defense Ministry," he said. "If we move 5,000 [Gazans] a day, it will take a year. The logistics are complex because you need to know who is going to which country."
