Israel to cut Gaza electricity immediately, energy minister says

Israel will cut the flow of electricity in the Gaza Strip immediately, Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said in a statement Sunday.

“I just signed an order for the immediate halt of electricity to the Gaza Strip,” Cohen said.

“We will operate all of the tools that are at our disposal, to ensure the return of all the hostages,” he said, adding that Israel will ensure that Hamas is not in Gaza for “the day after.”

This comes as mediated talks over the ceasefire and hostage deal are underway, and as Hamas urges the “immediate” start of talks for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, which Israel opposes.

Israel wants to extend the first phase of the deal to continue the exchange of hostages –  but without any commitment to permanently ending the war. Last week, it announced a blockade of all aid into the enclave to pressure Hamas into accepting new terms for an extension of the current ceasefire agreement.

A Hamas delegation had arrived in Cairo on Friday to discuss the ceasefire deal and to push for a potential second phase of the agreement.

Israel had said it has “accepted an invitation” from US-backed mediators to send an Israeli delegation to Doha on Monday, “in an effort to advance the negotiations.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.