Jordan condemns Israel’s halting electricity supply to Gaza

Jordan's foreign ministry strongly condemned Israel's decision to halt the electricity supply to Gaza to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages.

According to a ministry statement, Israel's decision is a clear continuation of its policy of starvation and blockade against the Palestinians, Xinhua news agency reported.

It blatantly violates the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, as well as international law, and risks reigniting tensions in Gaza, read the statement.

The ministry urged the international community to compel Israel to adhere to the ceasefire agreement, ensure the implementation of all its provisions, restore electricity to Gaza, and reopen the designated crossings for humanitarian aid to reach all parts of the besieged enclave, which is facing an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.

On Sunday, Israeli energy minister Eli Cohen said in a video statement that he had "just signed an order to immediately stop the supply of electricity to Gaza."

Cohen stated the measure aims to pressure Hamas to release the hostages still held in Gaza. According to Israeli figures, 59 hostages remain in Hamas captivity, around 24 of whom are believed to be alive.

"We will employ all available means to ensure the return of all hostages and guarantee that Hamas will not be in Gaza the day after (the war)," Cohen said.

Israel has blocked aid shipments, including food, into Gaza since 2 March, after the first 42-day phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire expired.

Earlier Hamas has said that there were positive signs regarding negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel would send a delegation to Doha for truce talks.

Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif Al-Qanou said on Saturday in a press statement that "the efforts of Egyptian and Qatari mediators are ongoing to finalise the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and initiate negotiations for its second phase, with positive indicators in that direction".

Meanwhile, Yemen's Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi announced that his group is preparing military operations against Israeli-linked vessels if humanitarian aid does not reach Gaza within a four-day deadline he set last week.

"We stand by our deadline for the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip, and our armed forces are ready to execute operations," al-Houthi declared in a televised speech on the group's Al-Masirah TV channel on Monday.

The Houthi leader had previously issued a four-day ultimatum to mediators between Israel and Hamas to facilitate the resumption of aid deliveries to Gaza. This deadline is set to expire on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Houthi group, who control much of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa, has launched drone and rocket attacks against Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea and Israeli cities since November 2023, expressing support for Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

In response, Israel has conducted retaliatory strikes targeting Houthi military sites in Sanaa and the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.

The Houthi attacks ceased following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. However, the group now threatens to resume operations if the blockade on Gaza is not lifted.

The Houthi group, which controls large swathes of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, has previously targeted vessels they say are linked to Israel in the Red Sea as support for Palestinians during the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Israel has targeted the Houthis in Yemen five times during the ongoing conflict. The most recent strike occurred on 10 January. The initial attack took place on 20 July 2023, followed by additional strikes on 29 September, 19 December and 26 December. The port of Hodeidah was repeatedly hit in these airstrikes.

Since November 2024, the Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, has been conducting missile and drone attacks on what it said were "Israeli-linked" ships in regional waters and beyond, as well as targets in Israel, to show solidarity with Palestinians amid their conflict with Israelis in Gaza.