Israel's energy minister has ordered the cessation of electricity supplies to Gaza

Israel will cut off electricity supplies to the Gaza Strip as part of a step-by-step plan to put pressure on the Palestinian Hamas movement. This was reported on March 9 by The Jerusalem Post newspaper, citing a statement by the country's energy minister, Eli Cohen.

"We will use all the tools we have to ensure that our hostages return home," he said.

According to the newspaper, Israel may launch targeted airstrikes and special forces raids against the Hamas leadership and its military positions if economic and infrastructural measures fail.

Phase two shift: Israel and Hamas plan to extend truce deal

At the same time, Tel Aviv refuses to fulfill one of the key conditions of the first stage of the agreements.

Earlier, on March 2, Hamas expressed disagreement over the extension of the first phase of the agreement with Israel on the cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip. In addition, the representative of the movement clarified that the hostages will be released only if all the original terms of the agreement are fulfilled as stipulated in the contract.