Israel may cut off electricity and try to secure more hostage releases, even as as both sides prepare for war to restart

Agencies JERUSALEM/Gaza

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 a 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 about 2.2 million, according to the national public radio station, Kan.

It  said the government was referring to 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, sources said. Netanyahu has attributed the proposal to the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff, though Witkoff has so far not spoken about it.

On Sunday, Israel halted all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza’s population of 2 million people and vowed “additional consequences” if Hamas did not embrace the new proposal. The defence minister, Israel Katz, has instructed the Israel Defence 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. 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 Ramzan and then passover until April 20 , during which half the remaining hostages, Hamas’ bargaining chip,  would be released in return for Palestinians in Israeli jails. The other half would be released once there was an 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.

Hamas has rejected the proposal, saying it represents a violation of the original truce agreement in January that envisaged the ceasefire moving into a second phase this week, in which hostage releases would be coupled with Israeli troop withdrawals from strategic points in Gaza, starting with the Philadelphi corridor, a buffer strip between Gaza and Egypt.