Overview

• Israel has halted electricity supply to Gaza, citing pressure tactics to secure the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas.
• Negotiators from Israel, Hamas, and mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and the US are set to meet in Doha to discuss extending the fragile ceasefire.
• The first phase of the truce, which began in January, ended without agreement on March 1, leaving 58 hostages still in Gaza, including some confirmed dead.
• Hamas demands a comprehensive agreement including a permanent ceasefire, prisoner exchanges, and reopening Gaza's borders, while Israel seeks to exclude Hamas from Gaza's governance.
• Humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain dire, with limited power, food, and medical supplies, prompting accusations that Israel is 'weaponizing starvation.'