CNN —
Israel says it has cut the flow of electricity to the last facility in Gaza that was still receiving power from the Israel Electric Corporation.
“I just signed an order for the immediate halt of electricity to the Gaza Strip,” Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said in a statement Saturday, adding that the country would “operate all of the tools that are at our disposal, to ensure the return of all the hostages.”
Israel cut off electricity supplies to Gaza following the Hamas’ attacks of October 7, 2023, in which more than 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage, but the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) had since reconnected power to a wastewater treatment facility following a government directive.
A spokesperson for the IEC confirmed to CNN that, “Today, a directive was received to disconnect the (electricity) to the facility, and this was done.”
Hamas’ spokesperson Hazem Qassem suggested the move would have little practical effect given the earlier cutoffs. However, he criticized it as “behavior that confirms the occupation’s intent to continue its genocidal war against Gaza, through the use of starvation policies, in clear disregard for all international laws and norms.”
Since Israel launched its war on Hamas in Gaza in response to the October 7 attacks, Gazans have relied largely on generators and solar power for electricity.
Far-right Israeli politician Itamar Ben Gvir welcomed the energy ministry’s latest move, and urged the government to go even further, by targeting the fuel that had entered the enclave following the ceasefire and hostages deal agreed between Israel and Hamas.
“The Gaza Strip must be completely and immediately blacked out as long as even one Israeli hostage is being held there,” he said. “Israel must bomb the huge fuel depots that entered the Strip as part of the unfortunate deal, as well as the generators operated by Hamas.”
The news comes even as talks over the fragile ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas take place.
Last week, Israel announced it would stop the entry of all humanitarian aid into the enclave to pressure Hamas into accepting new terms for an extension of the ceasefire agreement after the initial phase of the truce expired.
Israel wants to extend the first phase of the deal to continue the exchange of hostages, alive and deceased, in return for the continued release of Palestinian prisoners and the flow of higher volumes of aid into Gaza – but without any commitment to permanently ending the war. Hamas has insisted on moving forward with the second phase of the ceasefire deal, which involves negotiations for a permanent end to the war in Gaza.
A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Friday to discuss the ceasefire deal and to push for a potential second phase of the agreement, while Israel said Saturday it had “accepted an invitation” from US-backed mediators to send an Israeli delegation to Doha on Monday, “in an effort to advance the negotiations.”
An Israeli source told CNN that Israel was “giving negotiations a chance” before it returns to fighting in Gaza.
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for hostages Adam Boehler expressed optimism Sunday about a potential truce between Israel and Hamas following direct talks with the militant group this week.
“I think something could come together within weeks. I will say that I believe there is enough there to make a deal between what Hamas wants and what they’ve accepted and what Israel wants and it’s accepted. And I think there is a deal where they can get all of the prisoners out, not just the Americans,” Boehler told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”
Fifty-nine hostages are thought to remain in Gaza, more than half of whom are thought to be dead, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office. Five of the 59 are American Israelis, only one of whom – Edan Alexander – is still alive.
On Sunday, senior Hamas official Taher Al Nunu was quoted by Al Aqsa TV – a channel affiliated to the militant group – as saying that it did not oppose releasing Alexander as part of negotiations to end the war.
Hamas had related that message to US officials during recent talks focused on implementing an interim agreement aimed at ending the war, Al Nunu said.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Betsy Klein contributed to this report.