MOSCOW, October 9. /TASS/. The Palestinian side expects that Israel may soon launch an offensive against the Gaza Strip, Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Abdel Hafiz Nofal told the Rossiya-24 TV channel.

"The cessation of electricity supplies is a very strong signal. We pay for this electricity, we pay for everything else too. This means that Israel is preparing for an offensive on the Gaza Strip, it will start tonight or tomorrow," the diplomat said.

Earlier, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant ordered a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, with no food, fuel and electricity supplies to the Palestinian enclave.

On October 7, a group of militants from the radical Palestinian movement Hamas infiltrated Israeli territory. According to the latest data, almost 600 Palestinians have been killed and almost 3,000 wounded. About 800 Israelis have been killed, with more than 2,000 being wounded as a result of clashes and shelling. Four Russians are reported missing.

Hamas calls its sortie a response to Israeli actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem's Temple Mount. Israel has shifted to a state of readiness for war and launched Operation Iron Swords in retaliation.