JERUSALEM: Israel’s negotiating team left for Qatar on Monday for talks aimed at extending the fragile Gaza ceasefire after the authorities cut the Palestinian territory’s electricity supply to ramp up pressure on Hamas.

Ahead of the negotiations, Israel disconnected the only power line to a water desalination plant in Gaza, a move Hamas denounced as “cheap and unacceptable blackmail”. The first phase of the truce deal expired on March 1 with no agreement on subsequent stages that should secure a lasting end to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

There are differences over how to proceed — Hamas wants immediate negotiations on the next phase, but Israel prefers extending phase one. Hamas accused Israel of reneging on the ceasefire deal, saying in a statement on Monday that Israel “refuses to commence the second phase, exposing its intentions of evasion and stalling”.

An Israeli official familiar with the negotiations said the country’s team had left for Doha. Media reports said the delegation was led by a top official from the domestic security agency Shin Bet.

‘Long-term truce’

Hamas has repeatedly demanded that the second phase of the truce — brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States — include a comprehensive prisoner exchange, a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, a permanent ceasefire and the reopening of border crossings to end the blockade.

Spokesman Hazem Qassem said that Hamas wanted the mediators to ensure Israel “complies with the agreement... and proceeds with the second phase according to the agreed-upon terms”.

Former US president Joe Biden had outlined a second phase involving prisoners release and the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2025