A senior official from the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has accused Israel of enforcing a policy of collective punishment against the Palestinian population in Gaza, following the Israeli regime's decision to cut off electricity supplies to the besieged enclave. 

Izzat al-Rishq, a member of Hamas's political bureau, stated on Sunday, 9 March, that Israel has pursued this punitive strategy since the beginning of its aggression on Gaza on 7 October 2023. "From the very first day of its assault, Israel imposed a complete electricity blackout, after already depriving Gazans of food, medicine, and water in a desperate attempt to pressure our people and Resistance through unacceptable and cheap blackmail," he said.

Al-Rishq emphasised that the occupying regime's insistence on cutting off electricity, closing border crossings, halting aid and fuel supplies, and starving the population constitutes a clear policy of collective punishment and a full-fledged war crime. He warned that these actions represent a blatant violation of signed agreements and a breach of all human laws and norms. 

The Hamas official also accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of obstructing a ceasefire agreement witnessed by the international community. "Netanyahu is attempting to impose a new roadmap that serves his own interests at the expense of the lives of Israeli captives, disregarding the pleas of their families," al-Rishq said.

He reiterated that the Palestinian people and their Resistance would not yield to such pressure, remaining steadfast in their pursuit of freedom and victory. "The only solution is to adhere to the terms of the agreement and move to the second phase of negotiations. Any attempt to block this is a waste of time and a manipulation of the fate of the captives," he added.

Over the past three days, Israeli forces have killed at least eight Palestinians in Gaza, continuing their deadly strikes despite a ceasefire agreement with Hamas that came into effect on 19 January. Since the start of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, the total death toll has surpassed 48,450, according to local authorities. The Gaza Health Ministry estimates the actual number to be significantly higher, with at least 10,000 Palestinians still buried under the rubble.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, exacerbated by Israel's renewed blockade on aid deliveries. Eight days into the blockade, at least six bakeries in Khan Younis have been forced to close due to fuel shortages. Local authorities warn that all bakeries could shut down within two weeks, leaving Gaza's two million residents in an even more dire situation.

For the people of Gaza, the blockade is a matter of life and death. International calls for urgent humanitarian assistance to the besieged population are growing louder, as the world witnesses the devastating consequences of Israel's ongoing siege and collective punishment policies. 

The Palestinian people, however, remain resolute in their struggle for justice and liberation, vowing to endure until their rights are recognised and their land is free.