For Gazan teacher Abdullah Mortaja, Israel's decision to cut off electricity to the war-battered territory was "a joke", having already lived with little power supply since war began more than 16 months ago.

Israel will stop supplying electricity to Gaza "immediately," Energy Minister Eli Cohen announced on Sunday. "We will activate every tool we have to ensure our hostages return home and Hamas is not in Gaza after the war," he said. Cohen signed the order to stop the flow of electricity to Gaza shortly after the announcement.

The move, which will mainly affect a single wastewater treatment plant, appeared intended to put pressure on Hamas.