Israel has cut off the electricity supply to Gaza. The move has affected a desalination plant producing drinking water for part of the arid territory.

Israel says it has cut the flow of electricity to the last facility in Gaza that was still receiving power from the Israel Electric Corporation.

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, which has a population of more than two million people.