Israel announced Sunday that it has cut off electricity supply to Gaza, further deepening the humanitarian crisis in the besieged territory.
The move follows last week’s suspension of all goods entering the enclave, echoing restrictions imposed at the start of its war with Hamas.
The full impact of the power cut remains unclear, but Gaza’s desalination plants, which provide drinking water, rely on electricity to function.
Hospitals and essential facilities are now running on generators.
A spokesperson for the Israel Electric Corporation said the outage directly affected a wastewater treatment plant, raising concerns over sanitation and water access.
Hamas condemned the decision, calling it part of Israel’s “starvation policy.”
The group insists that Israel must begin negotiations on the war’s second phase, which includes a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the release of remaining hostages.
Israel, however, demands Hamas first free half of the remaining captives in exchange for continued ceasefire talks.
Ceasefire negotiations have stalled despite ongoing mediation efforts by Egypt and Qatar.
Hamas announced Sunday that discussions with Egyptian officials had ended without progress.
Meanwhile, Israel said it will send a delegation to Qatar on Monday to “advance the negotiations.”
The United Nations human rights office warned that blocking essential supplies could constitute collective punishment.