Israel may cut off electricity to try to secure more hostage releases, as both sides prepare for war to restart.
The Israeli government is reportedly planning to ratchet up its blockade on Gaza as part of what it has called a “hell plan” to pressure Hamas into further hostage releases without a troop withdrawal from the Palestinian territory.
With the six-week-old ceasefire in limbo, and no sign of movement towards a second phase that was due to start last weekend, both sides were taking contingency steps to return to a war footing.
The government of Benjamin Netanyahu was reported to have made preparations to go beyond the suspension of food and fuel announced on Sunday, to implement a programme of steadily increased isolation of the coastal strip and its population of around 2.2 million, according to the national public radio station, Kan, which said government was referring to this the programme of measures as the “hell plan”.
The plan would involve cutting off electricity and remaining water supplies, and moving Palestinians in northern Gaza back down to the south, to pave the way to the potential resumption of full-scale war.
The defence minister, Israel Katz, has instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to make preparations for a return to combat, according to the Walla news site. From Wednesday they will be serving under a new chief of staff, Maj Gen Eyal Zamir, who has been an advocate of using overwhelming force aimed at achieving a quick, decisive victory over the remnants of Hamas in Gaza.
Meanwhile, there were reports in the Arab press that Hamas was also getting ready for the resumption of fighting. Qatar’s Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported that Hamas and other armed factions had gone back to a war footing, with those holding Israeli hostages to resume heightened security measures.
Hamas is also said to have been extracting high explosives from unexploded Israeli weapons fired during the war, for use in roadside bombs if the fighting starts again.
Talks on the ceasefire have stalled since Friday. The Israeli government is insisting on a proposal extending the first phase of the ceasefire during Ramadan and then Passover until 20 April, during which half the remaining hostages would be released in return for Palestinians in Israeli jails. The other half would be released once there was agreement on a lasting end to the war.
There are still 59 Israeli hostages yet to return from Gaza, but Israeli authorities believe at least 34 are already dead.
Netanyahu has attributed the proposal to the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff, though Witkoff has so far not spoken about it.