Israel has cut off electricity to Gaza, worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis as part of its ongoing blockade.
Israel announced on Sunday that it is cutting off its electricity supply to Gaza. The move comes a week after Israel halted the entry of all goods into the Strip.
According to Israeli media, Energy Minister Eli Cohen instructed the Israel Electric Corporation to immediately cut off electricity to Gaza.
In a video statement, Cohen said: “We will employ all the tools available to us so that all the hostages will return, and we will ensure that Hamas won’t be in Gaza on the day after.”
On Saturday, the Gaza Electricity Company warned that continuous power cuts in the Strip, lasting 519 days, have caused an unprecedented humanitarian disaster, severely impacting daily life.
According to the company, the prolonged outages have created immense challenges across vital sectors.
“Essential sectors, especially healthcare, are facing a dangerous decline due to the crisis,” the company said in a statement.
Earlier in the week, two desalination plants in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza, were forced to shut down due to Israel’s electricity cutoff.
The Deir Al-Balah Municipality said in a statement that the plants supplied 70% of the city’s water needs.
Israel has now officially cut off electricity to Gaza. ✅ pic.twitter.com/CS583riuFW
— Hashem (@HashemAllMighty) March 9, 2025
Israel’s Blockade
In violation of the ceasefire agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on March 2 that Israel had decided to “prevent any entry of goods and supplies into Gaza.”
He also warned that Hamas would face “additional consequences” if it refused to accept an extension of the first phase of the deal.
The move sparked widespread criticism, with Hamas condemning the decision as “cheap blackmail” and a “coup” against the ceasefire agreement.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Atty also denounced Israel’s decision, stating that “using aid as a weapon of collective punishment and starvation in Gaza is unacceptable and impermissible.”
Israel has committed hundreds of ceasefire violations, including military incursions, shootings, shelling, and obstructing humanitarian aid.
Between October 7, 2023, and January 19, 2025, Israel’s genocide in Gaza—backed by the United States—has left approximately 160,000 Palestinians killed or wounded, most of them women and children, with more than 14,000 missing.
Six Newborns Die in Gaza Cold as Israeli Blockade Prevents Shelter
Israel’s Blockade
In violation of the ceasefire agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on March 2 that Israel had decided to “prevent any entry of goods and supplies into Gaza”.
He also warned that Hamas would face “additional consequences” if it refused to accept an extension of the first phase of the deal.
The move had sparked wide criticism, with Hamas slamming the decision as a “cheap blackmail” and a “coup” on the ceasefire agreement.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Atty also condemned Israel’s decision, stating that “using aid as a weapon of collective punishment and starvation in Gaza is unacceptable and impermissible”.
Israel has committed hundreds of violations of the ceasefire agreement, including military incursions, shootings, shelling, and obstructing humanitarian aid.
Between October 7, 2023, and January 19, 2025, Israel’s genocide in Gaza — backed by the United States — has left approximately 160,000 Palestinians killed or wounded, most of them women and children, with more than 14,000 missing.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
