Israel said on March 9 that it would cut off its electricity supply to Gaza in an ongoing bid to force the Hamas terrorist group to accept its terms for a cease-fire extension.
The announcement comes days after Israel ceased all aid and deliveries of goods to the Hamas-controlled territory of more than 2 million people to pressure the terror group into accepting an extension of the first phase of an ongoing cease-fire deal. On March 4, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was prepared to increase pressure and would not rule out cutting off the region’s electricity supply if Hamas doesn’t acquiesce.
The cease-fire deal’s first phase ended on March 1, and Israel has offered to negotiate a lasting truce if Hamas releases half of the remaining hostages who were kidnapped during its terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which also killed about 1,200 people and wounded thousands.
Instead, Hamas prefers to begin discussions on the cease-fire’s more ambitious second phase, which would result in the release of all remaining hostages in Gaza in exchange for Israel withdrawing all forces and agreeing to peace. There are 24 living hostages and 35 bodies of others still believed to be held by Hamas.
The terrorist group said on March 9 that it had concluded a recent round of cease-fire discussions with Egyptian mediators with no changes in its position and called for a rapid start to the cease-fire’s second phase. Hamas has warned that cutting off aid and energy to Gaza would also affect the hostages.
Netanyahu had warned electricity would be the next target, and the new letter from Israel’s energy minister to the Israel Electric Corporation tells the company to cease selling energy to Gaza.
Devastated from a war that Hamas began with its Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Southern Israel, Gaza’s infrastructure is dwindling and its residents utilize generators and solar panels for part of its energy supply. Some of the Israeli electricity is used for water desalination pumps, which provide Gaza with water for drinking and sanitation.
The United Nations Human Rights Office criticized the decision on March 7.
“I think it was a very helpful meeting. It was very helpful to hear some back and forth,” Boehler told CNN’s “State of the Union” on March 9.
Boehler acknowledged the concern of Israeli official Ron Dermer in having direct contact with Hamas, but noted the talks had a clear goal.
“We’re the United States. We’re not an agent of Israel,” Boehler said. “We have specific interests at play, and we did communicate back and forth.
“What I wanted to do is jump-start some negotiations that were in a very fragile place. And I wanted to say to Hamas, ‘What is the end game that you want here?’”
