Israel’s Electricity Cutoff to Gaza: A Deepening Humanitarian and Political Crisis

Introduction

The Israeli government’s decision to sever the electricity supply to the Gaza Strip on March 9, 2025, marks a critical escalation in its ongoing conflict with Hamas.

This move follows a weeklong blockade of humanitarian aid and goods, intensifying the humanitarian catastrophe for Gaza’s 2.3 million residents.

The electricity cutoff directly impacts desalination plants critical for drinking water production, while the broader blockade has led to severe shortages of food, medicine, and hygiene supplies.

Israel frames these actions as pressure tactics to force Hamas into extending the first phase of a fragile ceasefire and releasing remaining hostages.

Hamas, however, insists on transitioning to the second phase of negotiations, which would involve a permanent truce, Israeli troop withdrawal, and discussions on Gaza’s political future.

The international community remains deeply divided, with Western nations cautiously supporting Israel’s security concerns. At the same time, Global South countries and human rights organizations condemn the measures as collective punishment and violations of international law.

Historical Context of Gaza’s Resource Dependencies

The Legacy of Economic and Energy Blockades

Gaza’s electricity crisis predates the current conflict. Since Hamas’s takeover in 2007, Israel and Egypt have imposed a land, sea, and air blockade, severely restricting the flow of goods and energy.

Before the 2023 war, Gaza relied on three primary electricity sources: purchases from Israel (120 megawatts), a local diesel-powered plant (60 megawatts), and solar panels. However, the blockade limited fuel imports, forcing the territory into rolling blackouts of 12–16 hours daily.

The 2023 war destroyed much of this fragile infrastructure, leaving hospitals, water treatment facilities, and households dependent on generators and solar power.

Israel’s current decision to halt electricity sales—targeting a wastewater treatment plant in Deir al-Balah—exemplifies a long-standing strategy of leveraging resource restrictions for political aims.

2010, Israel eased some restrictions under international pressure but maintained control over maritime imports and dual-use materials. These policies have perpetuated Gaza’s economic collapse, with the World Bank estimating a 50% GDP decline since 2007.

Immediate Humanitarian Consequences

Water, Sanitation, and Health Systems Collapse

The immediate suspension of electricity jeopardizes Gaza’s last functional desalination plant, which produced 18,000 cubic meters of drinking water daily for central Gaza.

With generators now its sole power source, output has dropped to 2,500 cubic meters—equivalent to one Olympic swimming pool—far below the population's needs. Over 90% of Gaza’s groundwater is contaminated, and the lack of desalination exacerbates risks of dehydration and waterborne diseases.

Hygiene products, already scarce due to the aid blockade, have vanished from markets. Families report using seawater for washing and cutting children’s hair due to a lack of combs.

Menstrual products are unavailable, forcing women to use unsanitary alternatives like torn clothing. Hospitals operating at minimal capacity face fuel shortages for generators, with surgeries often conducted without anesthesia.

Famine and Economic Paralysis

The dual blockade of goods and electricity coincides with Ramadan, traditionally marked by communal meals and charity. Instead, families like Abdullah al-Ashqar’s in Gaza City face empty pantries, with flour prices doubling and aid agencies warning of imminent famine.

The suspension of aid through the Kerem Shalom crossing—Gaza’s primary conduit for food—has halted the daily influx of 500 trucks, leaving UN warehouses empty. Farmers and fishermen, already constrained by buffer zones, cannot compensate for the shortages.

Political Dynamics and Ceasefire Negotiations

Israel’s Strategic Objectives

Israel seeks to extend the first phase of the January 2024 ceasefire, which stipulated incremental hostage releases in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Energy Minister Eli Cohen framed the electricity cutoff as a tool to “ensure the return of all hostages” and dismantle Hamas’s governance. However, analysts argue the move aims to stall progress to the ceasefire’s second phase, which would require Israel to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor—a strategic buffer zone along Gaza’s border with Egypt. Maintaining control of this corridor allows Israel to monitor smuggling routes and retain military leverage.

Hamas’s Counter-Narratives

Hamas rejects Israel’s demands, insisting that further hostage releases hinge on advancing to phase two negotiations.

The group accuses Israel of “starvation policies” and “cheap extortion,” citing the blockade’s violation of the ceasefire’s original terms.

Hamas political bureau member Iat Alishq contends that Netanyahu’s tactics undermine mediation efforts led by Egypt and Qatar, which are set to resume in Doha.

The militant wing warns that military escalation could lead to hostage fatalities, though this claim remains unverified.

International Reactions and Legal Implications

Western vs. Global South Divides

The conflict has exposed deepening geopolitical fractures. Western nations, including the U.S., Germany, and France, emphasize Israel’s right to self-defense but urge proportionality.

The Trump administration, while critical of Hamas, has pressed for aid resumption, with the Secretary of state calling the blockade “untenable.”

In contrast, Global South nations—led by Brazil, South Africa, and Bolivia—condemn Israel’s actions as genocidal.

Bolivia severed diplomatic ties, while South Africa petitioned the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to investigate starvation as a war crime.

UN and Legal Challenges

The UN Human Rights Office asserts that denying life necessities constitutes collective punishment, prohibited under Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) reinforced this in 2024, issuing arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over starvation tactics.

Critics argue Israel’s restrictions on fuel and dual-use items (e.g., concrete) violate the San Remo Manual on Armed Conflicts, which mandates occupying powers to ensure civilian welfare.

Pathways to Resolution

Mediation Efforts and Ceasefire Prospects

Egyptian and Qatari mediators are facilitating renewed talks in Doha, focusing on:

Hostage-Prisoner Exchanges

Hamas holds 24 living hostages and 35 bodies, demanding the release of high-profile Palestinian prisoners.

Humanitarian Corridors

The UN proposes maritime aid routes from Cyprus, though Israel insists on inspecting shipments.

Infrastructure Repairs

Rebuilding Gaza’s power grid and water systems requires importing construction materials, currently blocked as “dual-use” items.

Long-Term Solutions

Sustainable peace hinges on addressing Gaza’s political status. Hamas has signaled a willingness to relinquish civilian governance but refuses to disband its military wing. Israel rejects any Hamas role in Gaza’s future, advocating for the Palestinian Authority (PA) to regain control—a plan PA leaders dismiss without guarantees of statehood.

The U.S. and EU advocate for a PA-led unity government, but Hamas’s grassroots support complicates this.

Conclusion

A Crisis at the Crossroads

Gaza’s electricity cutoff epitomizes the intersection of humanitarian suffering and intractable political deadlock.

Israel’s use of resource restrictions as coercion risks further radicalization, while Hamas’s refusal to compromise prolongs civilian agony.

International law provides clear guidelines against collective punishment, yet enforcement remains elusive amid geopolitical rivalries.

Immediate priorities include restoring aid flows and securing a phased ceasefire, but lasting peace demands addressing Gaza’s sovereignty, reconstruction, and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

As Ramadan unfolds under siege, the world watches whether diplomacy can prevail over despair.

Additional update

In a heartbreaking tragedy that has deeply affected the people of Gaza, six innocent children have tragically lost their lives to the relentless cold weather, a situation made even more dire by stringent restrictions on humanitarian aid. Among the victims was a fragile newborn girl named Sham, who, sadly, passed away just days after entering this world.

The painful loss of five children occurred at the Friends of the Patient Hospital in the Remal neighborhood of Gaza City, where medical staff have been stretched to their limits, struggling to care for those in need amidst overwhelming circumstances. In addition, the sixth child succumbed to the harsh conditions in Khan Younis, a city in the southern region of the territory.

At this moment, tens of thousands of Palestinian families are facing unimaginable difficulties, forced to live in makeshift tents made from whatever materials they can find amidst the ruins of their former homes. With temperatures dropping to a chilling 6°C during this bitter season, the fight for survival has become a daily ordeal. The ongoing blockade exacerbates their plight, severely limiting access to necessities such as clothing, blankets, and heating supplies.

In a statement filled with sorrow, Hamas has condemned what they describe as Israel's "criminal policies," asserting that the blockade and obstruction of humanitarian assistance are having devastating effects on the lives of over two million people living in Gaza.

The tragic losses of these young children serve as a poignant reminder of the urgent need for compassion and action from the international community in the face of this escalating humanitarian crisis. Many feel a profound sense of quickness as the cries of the innocent continue to go unheard, disproportionately affecting society's youngest and most vulnerable members. This heartbreaking situation highlights the severe consequences of prolonged conflict and its devastating impact on human lives.