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The petition was submitted two days after the petitioners sent an urgent letter to the government demanding that they immediately cancel the decision to cut electricity to the strip.
By EVE YOUNG MARCH 13, 2025 12:21
ViCourtesy Hostages and Missing Families Forumcky Cohen, the mother of hostage Nimrod Cohen
(photo credit: Courtesy Hostages and Missing Families Forum)
Nearly 50 released hostages and family members of hostages and freed captives petitioned the High Court of Justice to force the state to renew the supply of electricity to Gaza, saying that stopping electricity hurts the hostages and endangers their lives.
The petition was submitted two days after the petitioners sent an urgent letter to the government, prime minister, energy minister, and foreign minister, demanding that they immediately cancel the decision to cut electricity to the strip, citing danger to the hostages and the state's obligation to them.
The court responded Wednesday, saying that the petitioners did not give the state enough time to respond to the demand, and called on the petitioners to update the court next week.
The petition called on the court to "order the cancellation of the decision of the Energy Minister and the renewed supply of electricity to the Gaza Strip in a way that will allow for the proper function of vital systems for human existence, and thus pave the way for saving the hostages' lives."
Petitioners also called on the court to issue an urgent interim order to restore electricity while the petition is heard, in accordance with the principle that there exists a risk of "disproportional and irreversible" harm to human life.
The urgency of the petition stems from "the immediate and real danger to the lives of the hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip as a result of the stopped electrical supply."
The petitioners emphasized that some of the hostages are elderly, injured, or chronically ill and have been held in subhuman conditions since October 7, 2023.
This intervention by the court is necessary "not only for protecting the basic rights of the hostages and fulfilling the state's basic obligations towards its citizens, but also to ensure the rule of law and proper decision making process in such fateful issues," the petition said.
The decision by Energy Minister Eli Cohen to stop electricity is not legal because it was made without authority and because the relevant considerations were not weighed, the petition claimed.
"This petition addresses a matter at the core of Israel’s values as a Jewish and democratic state—its commitment to the lives of its citizens, particularly those held captive by the enemy," the petition read.
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"The energy minister’s decision to halt electricity supply to the Gaza Strip directly and severely endangers the lives of the hostages and constitutes a violation of their constitutional rights to life, bodily integrity, and dignity."
Yehuda Cohen, whose son Nimrod is an IDF soldier held hostage since October 7, was one of the family members who signed the petition.
'Populist actions'
"In order to avoid reaching a deal, the government is taking all sorts of populist actions. One of them is shutting off electricity to Gaza. Hamas isn't bothered by this, the residents hardly have electricity," he said, adding that the major impact this action has is causing infection to spread and reach as far as Ashkelon.
"If I remember correctly, Ashkelon is in The State of Israel," he added sarcastically.
"Netanyahu, as usual, as part of his survival is always reaching out to his political base. His base is made up of people who like low, populist gestures. And that is why they shut off the electricity."
This empty gesture is to show that "we are macho, we are threatening Hamas," he added.
"If the shutting down of electricity impacts the hostages, it will be very indirectly," he said. "The hostages are in tunnels. They are fairly disconnected from the Gazan water and sewage systems. The impact could be through revenge from Hamas."
He referenced Eli Sharabi's interview with Channel 12's Uvda, where he said that each time something happened, Hamas took it out on the hostages.
"Netanyahu is again a hero for his political base at the expense of the hostages. What does he care."
Cohen added that he has been disappointed with the High Court after participating in three petitions aimed at helping the hostages.
"We are not getting any help from the court," he said, adding that he anticipates that by the time the court responds to the most recent petition, it will not be relevant.
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