Israel on Sunday said it was cutting off electricity to the Gaza Strip as it ramps up the collective punishment of the civilian population to pressure Hamas to release Israeli hostages, violating the ceasefire deal reached in January.
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen made the announcement, saying he instructed the Israel Electric Corporation to immediately stop selling electricity to power stations in Gaza.
“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,'” Cohen said. The move is expected to impact Gaza’s water supply since electricity powers desalination plants that produce drinking water.
Since March 2, Israel has blocked the entry of aid, medicine, fuel, and all other goods into Gaza, a war crime backed by the US. The UN’s World Food Program has warned that it’s running out of food supplies in Gaza, and Palestinians report a sharp rise in prices since Israel imposed the total siege.
Israel is demanding that Hamas release more Israeli hostages but without a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza or commitment to a permanent ceasefire, which were both conditions of the second phase of the initial deal. Hamas continues to call for the implementation of the second phase, saying it will not release the remaining hostages without an Israeli commitment to end the genocidal war permanently.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Israel is planning a series of escalatory steps that could lead to the full-scale resumption of its genocidal war. The report said that after cutting all aid to Gaza, the next step was cutting off electricity and water. After that, if Hamas doesn’t agree to Israel’s terms, airstrikes could resume, followed by mass displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and another Israeli invasion.
The Journal report said an Israeli invasion of the territories it withdrew from in Gaza seems inevitable. However, some US officials, including Adam Boehler, President Trump’s special envoy for hostage affairs, who held direct talks with Hamas, have said they believe a deal can be reached.
“I think you could see something like a long-term truce, where we forgive prisoners, where Hamas lays down their arms, where they agree they’re not part of the political party going forward. I think that’s a reality. It’s real close,” Boehler told CNN on Sunday.
In the meantime, Israeli bombs and gunfire continue to kill Palestinians in Gaza. On Sunday, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that at least one Palestinian was killed by Israeli gunfire east of Gaza City. Since the truce went into effect on January 19, Israeli forces have killed more than 100 Palestinians in Gaza.
Israel is cutting the power they send to Gaza. The should have done that at the beginning of the war. Why should Israel power the homes and business of their enemy? There is a 160 MW power plant in Gaza, I wonder if it still works to some degree.
I guess if you can call 2.3 million people your enemy, then you don't need to explain why they should ALL die. But good job of working that implication into your comment as if it were a reality. You don't want to sound like you lack empathy (/s).
People like that are so petty. They have an inferiority complex. Their tribe controls trillions of dollars, armed to the teeth and enjoy big brother support but couldn't manage to get the Palestinians out of Gaza or submit. I found this video so enlightening. They can never be happy even with all they claim to have achieved while the Palestinians can remain resilient and still be happy in their hearts.
@disqus_KAfPEpsMYs:disqus@disqus_lbkuZ0DrY6:disqus
Do you not see that maybe they should keep the electricity on because it is an occupying power, with all the advantages it has in armaments to brutally suppress the residents in their prison–the Goliath over the David–and it has some responsibility for the people it's suppressing. These are not an “enemy” in the sense of two formidable opposing armies. Most of those affected are innocents who pose no military ability to fight back, only to suffer and be slaughtered in the hideous ways we've seen over and again.
Thing is, too, the ASI will want electrical power flowing to lights to make it easier for IDF artillery and airstrikes to identify and target "houses and businesses" that still have living humans in them.
you are sick….
You're being evil again, Tim
It feels "85% ignorant, 10% hateful, 4% genuinely stupid, 1% impotent troll" from him, rather'n "evil".
I don’t think ignorance is the issue.
Tim supports genocide. He is evil.
Certainly seems so.
I am reminded, however, of antagonist analysis by the great Robert McKee in his seminal screenwriting book 'Story'.
McKee evaluates great antagonists from fiction, and classes them by their evil nature.
The lowest is an evil character who does evil for no apparent reason. Not a compelling villain.
Next is the evil character who does evil for the sake of evil. Better, but pretty one-note.
Best, and far and away the most compelling antagonist, is he who does evil BUT genuinely believes he is doing good.
This is, I think, the summation of "Tim Burns" – an entity which genuinely believes what is happening to the Palestinians is "Good" despite it being objectively Evil. Whether a mandate from his god and/or gods, for the good of his chosen country or nation or state, I think Tim Burns thinks what we know is genocide is, in this case, a truly wonderful, desirable, necessary Action For Good.
“This is, I think, the summation of “Tim Burns”
I agree,
"Why should Israel power the homes and business of their enemy?"
The cuts disconnected a Gazan wastewater treatment plant.
But so what?
"Why should Israel" provide "enemy" Gazan infants with decontaminated water?
In fact, "why should Israel" provide "enemy" Gazan infants with water at all?
("Israel cuts off electricity supply to Gaza, affecting a desalination plant producing drinking water" (AP)
"Israel [has] warned…that water…could be next.")
I think Timbit thinks people can drink sea water.
I'd also bet he boycotts Ramada Inn & Suite hotels because he thinks there's jihadists fasting and praying in them this month.
Israel destroyed that plant sometimes ago as many other infrastructures. Israel has restricted fuel supplies as well. Palestinians pay for the electricity. They don't get for free.
Israel is the enemy of the Palestinians. It was Israel and the Zionists who started the slaughter in 1948 adn have never stopped.
Timbit. Tell us how well hospitals (those your IDF haven't destroyed) and desalinisation facilities (if your IDF left it or any standing) and sewage treatment (if your IDF didn't make that an initial target) fare without electricity.
We know your socio-political outlook is stuck in the Dark Ages so it's entirely likely you haven't a clue what electricity actually does.
Many years ago, Netanyahu in reference to Palestinian demands in negotiations would sarcastically say of the PA they've climbed up a ladder and they can't come down. Now the tables are turned. Netanyahu is squirming for time to find a way to convince the Israeli public that Israel is getting what it wants, i.e., the hostages before it commits to the other stages of the ceasefire agreement. Israel is in a corner where either it starts the war or agrees to enter into the second stage of the agreement which requires an Israeli withdrawal. Trump wants it to happen.
Despite these unbearable conditions, the Palestinians have stood their ground beyond expectation.
Trump doesn't want to force his demands on the criminal minister…rather it seems cornering him into a reality check so he would have no choice but to eventually comply with his demands on his own… as he did resulting in the shaky Gaza ceasefire…!
I hope the current US president is as smart as you imply.
… just another stupid, self-conceited, corrupt, bootlicker
According to Middle East Eye's liveblog (which continually updates) Israel will send a delegation to Doha on Monday and Witkoff will go there Tuesday for further talks with Hamas. But this talk from Boehler that Hamas might lay down its arms has already been rejected.
All those talks mean nothing anyway. Israel and the US don't hold to treaties and break them every time. More talks for Israel's IDF to rest and recuperate and for the US to manufacture more bombs?
I suspect also to reset News Cycles and to exploit the Law of Diminishing Returns.
People (Americans particularly) see the genocide on the news (the events; not the honest labelling) and then there's a "ceasefire" and the problem seems to go away. Then there's Other News On TV and the Oscars and Grammys and Sports Bowl.
Then genocide resumes but the MSM reports with less interest and focus; and the viewers see genocide again but care half as much. Then half as much again. Then half as much again.
It becomes like Somalia or COVID or Afghanistan or Hunter Biden's laptop, to people. "Huh, is that still A Thing ? Who knew ? I've lost interest, anyways."
We treat animals in shelters better that we allow this sick twisted terrorist state to treat human beings. One phone call at any point over the last 19 months could have ended it. This is on u.s.
US can no longer hide its complicity in this Genocide…!
"complicity" hell, they're the controlling partner
No, the US is standing by an ally, just as every country does. The US doesn't seek to destroy Palestinians, and was actually supporting peaceful development in Gaza, until Hamas took the billions of dollars he was receiving in aid and used it to butcher Israelis.
So, according to you – what is the proper response to a neighbor that promises to exterminate you? Should the Israelis say, "Please stop killing our women, children, and babies?" Or, maybe ask the UN for protection? Or, should they leave Gaza and ignore the threats Hamas makes, assuming it's "just talk"? They did that; guess what? 1,200 Israelis were cruelly slaughtered, including babies in their cribs.
So what do you suggest? Should all Israelis just go back to Poland, even if they have lived in Israel for centuries? Let's hear what you think.
“No, the US is standing by an ally, just as every country does”. Israel is an “ally” because it is bought and paid for by groups like AIPAC and people like the Adelsons. There is no advantage to the US to support Israel.
“What is the proper response to a neighbor that promises to exterminate you?” Did you ever think that if you didn’t ethnically cleanse, massacre and/or imprison millions of people, they wouldn’t despise you?
“1,200 Israelis were cruelly slaughtered, including babies in their cribs.” How many hundreds of those 1200 were killed by the cowardly IDF do you reckon? There is zero evidence from non-Israeli sources that babies were targeted.
”Should all Israelis just go back to Poland, even if they have lived in Israel for centuries?” No, the Jews that lived in Palestine for centuries were always welcome to stay. It’s the European Zionists that need to be expelled.
Since when are you the guy who gets to decide who gets to live where?
Not sure how my response was inappropriate and needed to be banned, but whatever.
Hamas – a group dedicated to destroying its neighbor – could just surrender and leave. But people like you spread distortion to keep the war going.
Israel could just withdraw to within its borders and defend itself instead of squatting in Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, etc. But people like you support Middle East ethno-religious apartheid garrison statism.
In order to commit genocide, you have to commit genocide.
No matter how much you and Harvard students use this phrase, it never becomes true.
… Genocide Don
Trump has done some things that he'll use if people start blaming him. The cease fire that stopped the daily slaughter of Palestinians is still paying dividends. The offer of permanent housing elsewhere, that the Palestinians would never want to leave, will be brought up if the genocide is resumed. Those ungrateful Palestinians you see. And of course, back to the old standard, it's Biden's fault which it is of course, and this never would have happened if he, Trump, were president. So, the Don will come out of this just fine regardless of what happens going forward.
I'm starting to think Trump doesn't so much have "policies" as he has "contingency plans" – his actions are taken such that they can be weaponised against opponents or shield himself from blame.
… and the Russians (Chinese, Brazilians, …) ? all those who know the truth? and Ukraine, -all the blood … and on top of everything else: sanctions, threats, and general bad faith? Will Putin even consider negotiating with so worthless, so disgusting a specimen?
And further, I tend to agree with Chris Hedges; the US is finished, … as indicated by the quality of its leadership and corruption of its institutions. The Europeans, once quit of Washington and the Davos Caste, will prosper and count themselves incredibly lucky to have fruitful relations with PanSlavia.
And I know yours was ironic … though for all that likely true enough.
"The cease fire that stopped the daily slaughter of Palestinians is still paying dividends."
That's how it looks. Lotta Arab Am's vote Republican to start with. But Biden v Trump campaign promises evidently impacted vote on the huge swing issue.
And – post-election – at least some Arab Americans credit Trump w/ceasefire – your "dividends" – despite other T statements, and despite more-than-some-trump-voters-mighta-bargained-for domestic policies:
"'I don't regret having supported the president. He promised us an end to the war, and he was able to get a ceasefire for us in Gaza, and for that we are grateful. Imagine how many hundreds of Palestinians we've been able to save because of the ceasefire,' Bishara Bahbah, the chairman for Arab Americans for Peace [said]….
"'Biden was…ignoring our pleas…and that's one of the major reasons why we decided to establish Arab Americans for Trump,' Bahbah said."
("Despite Trump's comments on Gaza, some Arab Americans still support him," ABC, 2/18/25)
?? "the battle-king composing hallelujah" … "to please the Lord" ?? the Zio-Horst-Wessel-Lied
Hey is this Donna Volatile? How about this version?
The depravity of the Orange headed bully is on full display.
What an evil Zionist stooge!
MAGA and the Christian Zionists love it. go see on "Newsmax" or "American Thinker" or many podcasts.
If "American Thinker" is a MAGA / Christian Zionist outlet, I have to admire the sheer galling irony of the name.
It did not used to be a long, longtime ago when the comments were still under "Discus" adn it was an Independent site with lots of discussion from different perspectives. Now they have their own clique where you have to pay for comments and it is almost indigestible unless you are one of the cult.
jake's people are showing another act of Bravery and Freedom…!
jake's response : "noun verb Oct 7th."
Wow…! Wall Street Journal, a zionist front, really knocked it down to step by step details of returning to Gazans Genocide on the behalf of Israel…!
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/59b7e823e35f3c2098bea9cda625503f863b8db1ba2b91b2e86e526fec5aa9c6.png https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d7f762303a6a3bda05328f9ca002f5790d0cddff22dffba14df12fba1f10288e.jpg
Note to neti neti: drop dead.
Yeah, don't he have some Offs he could go F**k ?
Hello Genocide Donny.
Sorry, but I'm really beginning to hate these people.
I have been a peace advocate since US government enemies of humanity and life tried to send me to Vietnam to kill commies for Christ.
Now I wake up in the morning and read articles like this and my first thoughts are when will the world unite and make war on ugly Israelis and all dual US and European citizens who facilitate genocide of Palestinians.
I have come close but am not there yet. But I am definitely for some justice to happen sooner than later for Israel adn the USA for permitting this ongoing genocide.
A huge depression would at least stop the US from sendign weapons adn money. But who knows there are still enough billionaires who despite a depression could supply Israel.
What's worse is that so many here in the US are cheering Israel on and applauding Trump's shock move on universities adn all its students.
Thanks. I've had coffee now and am not so shocked by today's new Israeli atrocity plans.
It's more than just US democrats and republicans lusting for genocide and war with Russia, China and Iran etc. Fake European democracies are also pushing for war.
Big BlackRock billionaire investors are the shareholders of the international Military Industrial Complex. Out of the top 10 investors in Rheinmetall, Germany 9 are Americans, they own the biggest German military producer. BlackRock is heavily invested in Ukraine. That does explain a lot.
The GEO/ECO is owned by the MIC and Finance. They fund the politicians of our so-called democracies.
Didn't Black Rock just invest o buy the Panama Canal?
It would not surprise me,
If there is anything to invest in, we can trust they they will invest big time.
We most likely will find out after the fact.
We DON'T have a Rand Foundation, Federalist Society or the Heritage Foundation speaking out and educating the nation in the interests of a just society and peace.
The plight of the Palestinians is one all should align with!
It all stands for total failure of democratic nations. Shame on all of us.
We have no open intelligent public debate because we have a controlled media, a cornerstone of functioning democracy.
We have no intellectual statesmen/women with decency, conscience and morals. We need people with character and intellect and simple human decency.
We have a simply evil ruling elite. Power and money and adoration is all they want and know. Despicable people.
Nice picture in this article of four Hamas fighters.