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”.
There are differences over how to proceed -- Hamas wants immediate negotiations on the next phase, but Israel prefers extending phase one.
An Israeli official familiar with the negotiations told AFP 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.
“We will use all the tools at our disposal to bring back the hostages and ensure that Hamas is no longer in Gaza the day after” the war, Energy Minister Eli Cohen said.
Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif al-Qanoua said Israel's move will impact its hostages still held in Gaza.
Germany and Britain both criticised Israel over its latest decisions.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s official spokesman told reporters: “We’re deeply concerned by these reports and urge Israel to lift these restrictions.”
The sole power line between Israel and Gaza supplies its main desalination plant, and Gazans now mainly rely on solar panels and fuel-powered generators to produce electricity.
Top Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq called Israel’s decision “to cut off electricity to Gaza, after depriving it of food, medicine, and water” a “desperate attempt to pressure our people and their resistance”.
Gaza residents told AFP the electricity cut will only worsen their situation.
“The occupation never stops killing Palestinian civilians, whether by bombing, missiles or by starvation.”
Spokesman Hazem Qassem told AFP Hamas wanted the mediators to ensure Israel “complies with the agreement... and proceeds with the second phase according to the agreed-upon terms”.
US envoy Adam Boehler, who has held unprecedented direct talks with Hamas, told CNN Sunday a deal could be reached “within weeks” to secure the release of all remaining hostages, not just the five dual US-Israelis, most of whom have been confirmed dead.
Boehler told CNN a “long-term truce” was “real close”, but later Sunday he told Israel’s Channel 12 that Washington would back any Israeli decision, including a return to war.
In late February, US President Donald Trump issued what he called a “last warning” to Hamas, threatening further destruction if it does not release all remaining hostages.
During phase one, 25 living Israeli hostages and eight bodies were exchanged for about 1,800 Palestinians in Israeli custody.
Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, most of them civilians, while Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 48,467 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to data from both sides.
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