- Title: Gas to Gaza? The pipeline that might provide a lifeline
- Date: 23rd February 2021
- Summary: GAZA CITY, GAZA (FEBRUARY 23, 2021) (REUTERS) DRONE FOOTAGE SHOWING GAZA'S POWER PLANT PEOPLE MOVING ON CART OUTSIDE POWER PLANT COOLING TOWERS AT POWER PLANT SIGN READING IN (English/Arabic): 'GAZA POWER GENERATING COMPANY SPOKESMAN OF GAZA POWER PLANT, MOHAMMAD THABIT, AT OFFICE PALESTINIAN FLAG NEXT TO COMPANY FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SPOKESMAN OF GAZA POWER PLANT, MOHAMMAD THABIT, AT OFFICE, SAYING: "The Gaza Strip has been suffering for years from a suffocating electricity shortage, there is only 200 MW of power available while this winter we needed around 500 MW." VARIOUS OF WORKERS WORKING AT POWER PLANT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SPOKESMAN OF GAZA POWER PLANT, MOHAMMAD THABIT, AT OFFICE, SAYING: "The recent breakthrough in the power deal, about connecting power plant with natural gas, has been received positively and there were positive reactions in the Gaza Strip. That will be good for the electricity distributing company because that means there will be a reduction in the expenses also that will be reflected on the production process." PEOPLE AT STREET VARIOUS OF ELECTRICITY POLES, ELECTRICITY NETWORK DRONE FOOTAGE SHOWING ELECTRICITY PLANT (MUTE) GAZA CITY, GAZA (FEBRUARY 21, 2021) (REUTERS) MAN AT BOOTH BY SEASIDE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE USING FIRE TO WARM THEMSELVES IN THE EVENING
- Embargoed: 9th March 2021 16:11
- Keywords: Gaza Israel Palestinians electricity gas pipline
- Location: GAZA CITY, GAZA
- City: GAZA CITY, GAZA
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Middle East
- Reuters ID: LVA001E0V6M2V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Talks on a gas pipeline that would cross political faultlines and deliver reliable energy to the impoverished Gaza Strip have moved from the abstract to the concrete in recent weeks, three officials with knowledge of the process told Reuters.
For years the project was a distant prospect because of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - peace talks between the two sides broke down in 2014 and never resumed, amid mutual suspicion and outbreaks of violence.
But Israeli, Palestinian, Qatari, and European interests have converged in recent weeks with the aim of getting gas flowing to Gaza in 2023, say the officials.
The plan would see natural gas from the deepwater Leviathan field operated by Chevron in the eastern Mediterranean flow through an existing pipeline into Israel, and from there into Gaza through a proposed new extension.
Under the arrangement, which has yet to be finalized, the Israeli side of the planned pipeline would be funded by Qatar and the section in Gaza paid for by the European Union, the officials told Reuters.
If successful, the pipeline project would for the first time in years provide a steady energy source to the Gaza Strip, ending rolling blackouts that have helped cripple the economy of the blockaded Palestinian enclave.
(Production: Fadi Shana, Mohammed Salem, Mohammed Shana, Mustafa Abu Ganeyeh) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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