Israel ordered an immediate halt to Gaza's electricity supply Sunday in an effort to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages, even as it prepared for fresh talks on the future of its truce with the Palestinian militants.

Human rights groups stress that weaponizing starvation by intentionally depriving civilians of lifesaving aid is a war crime under international humanitarian law.

The move was apparently part of a bid to force Hamas into accepting a temporary extension of a cease-fire and releasing more hostages.

Israel cut off the electricity supply to Gaza, officials said Sunday, affecting a desalination plant producing drinking water for part of the arid territory. Hamas called it part of Israel's “starvation policy.

An Israeli delegation will travel to the Gulf state of Qatar on Monday to hold talks on the continuation of the fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as Israel's electricity minister announced he was cutting deliveries to the enclave.

Israel ordered all of Gaza's electricity supply to be cut off on Sunday in an effort to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining Israeli hostages held in the territory. Energy minister Eli Cohen's announcement came a week after Israel cut off all aid supplies to the territory,

Israel’s energy minister said he had given instructions to stop supplying electricity to Gaza a week after Israel blocked all aid into the Palestinian territory.

A Hamas member described Israel's move as a "desperate attempt to pressure our people and their resistance through cheap and unacceptable blackmail tactics".

Energy minister vows to use 'all the tools available' to free hostages, oust terror group, though Israel has only been supplying power for one desalination plant The post Israel says it is stopping power to the Gaza,