Israel says it cut off power to Gaza, which appears to be another attempt to force Hamas to accept changes they want to impose on the ceasefire terms agreed in January.
Israel imposed a humanitarian blockade into Gaza at the beginning of March to force Hamas to extend the first phase of the ceasefire and release more prisoners of war.
It wants to do it to avoid moving into the second phase.
Aid agencies, human rights groups, and countries, including Israel’s allies, have condemned their decisions and cited international law that prohibits its humanitarian influence and collective punishment of civilians.
However, the announcement of the power cut is not a visual appearance, according to statements from Gaza and in media reports.
This is everything we know:
What exactly did Israel announce?
He said all electricity provided to Gaza will be cut off.
In a social media post on Sunday, Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said “we quickly cut off electricity to the Gaza Strip.”
“In the lecture, it’s time for action!” he said the day before another ceasefire negotiation in Doha.
However, Israeli media said the announcement may not be more dramatic than its supporters emerged.
Does that mean Gaza won’t get dark?
It was already dark.
According to the Israeli era, all electricity from Israel to Gaza had already been cut off after the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, during which 1,139 people were killed, around 250 people were captured and taken to Gaza.
In November, electricity supply to a desalination plant near Dayabara in central Gaza recovered. The plant supports approximately 600,000 mostly displaced civilians in central and southern Gaza.
The plant is present in the rest of the solar panels that have not been damaged or destroyed by stored power, generators, and Israeli artillery fire.
Has Israel cut only electricity and aid?
no.
To amend the conditions for the ceasefire signed in January, Israel also launched a military strike across the enclave and informed the media that it was preparing to resume fighting in Gaza.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health has issued a daily summary of civilians killed during the ceasefire.
Palestinians in Rafa, who now want to remain military presence in violation of the ceasefire, have been attacked by Israeli tanks and drones since Friday, killing at least three people and further injured.
How did Hamas respond?
In a statement issued Sunday night, Hamas accused Israel of “cheap and horrifying mail.”
Hamas Politics member Izzat Al-Risheq wrote, “I strongly condemn the decision to take the occupation to cut off electricity to Gaza after stealing food, medicine and water,” characterised the move as “a hopeless attempt to pressure people and their resistance.”
“Turning off electricity, closing intersections, stopping aid, rescuing, fuel, and starving our people constitute collective punishment and full-scale war crimes,” added Al Richek.
Who supports Israel with this?
US.
Israel says the current blockade of Gaza is actually for Hamas to extend the first phase of the ceasefire and force a proposal from US envoy Steve Witkov, which includes returning many Israeli prisoners.
Witkov has yet to publicly confirm his role in the widely believed plan he devised.
But speaking to the journalists before his speech in Doha on Monday, Witkov confirmed his full support for Israel and full support for Israel, including US and Israeli military action.
At the same time, the US is in person meeting with Hamas about the release of five prisoners of war with the group’s US citizenship, only one of them is believed to be alive.
Who is not supporting Israel in these lockdowns?
Almost everyone.
Both Egypt and Qatar, which mediated the ceasefire talks, as well as Saudi Arabia and Jordan, issued a statement this month, criticising Israel’s move to block food, medicine and fuel into strips.
“Humanitarian aid should never be conditioned on a ceasefire or used as a political tool,” France, Germany and the UK said in a joint statement on Wednesday.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Joa Garant last year, denounced the bloc of aid.
International rights groups such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have also condemned the new lockdown, describing it as a violation of international law and a crime against humanity.
How will this affect the ongoing negotiations in Qatar?
I can’t see that yet.
Hamas said in a statement that he “have been flexible” with mediators, including US envoy Adam Bohler, who oversees direct consultations on US prisoners, and hopes to proceed to the agreed stage two of the ceasefire.
As part of these talks, Hamas is considering a parallel request “over Israel’s head” that will extend the current phase of the ceasefire for 60 days in exchange for the return of 10 living Israeli prisoners, according to Israeli media reports.
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