The Qatari envoy to the Gaza Strip, Mohammed al-Emadi, on Sunday revealed new details about a plan to lay a natural gas pipeline in Gaza, Israel Hayom reported.
In an interview with the Gaza-based Sawa news agency, al-Emadi said that Qatar's Gaza Reconstruction Committee has recently held several "productive" meetings to advance the matter together with representatives of the Chevron Corporation, as well as officials from the United States, the European Union, the United Nations, and Russia.
The committee also held meetings with diplomats from France, the Netherlands, and the Palestinian Authority, he said.
Al-Emadi also noted that there are already two contracts regarding the pipeline. The first one is a contract between the Palestinian Authority and a gas company concerning the purchase of natural gas. The second one is a contract for the installation of the pipelines.
"An agreement has been reached with Europe to allocate $5 million dollars for the assembly of gas pipelines from the border to the power station, while Qatar will install pipes on the Israeli side," al-Emadi said.
According to the envoy, the power plant in Gaza will save the Palestinian Authority millions of dollars and solve its consumption crisis. The PA currently pays $11 million for the power line from Israel, in addition to the $2.5 million allocated to the power plant itself. Qatar buys $7 million in fuel every month for this station.
Al-Emadi predicted that the project would be completed within two or two and a half years from the time the pipeline work begins.
Qatar has been heavily invested in the Gaza Strip in recent years, funding welfare payments to the enclave with Israel’s blessing.
El-Emadi himself acknowledged in an interview in 2019 that cooperation with Israel is needed in order to improve the situation in Gaza.
Several weeks ago, the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, ordered the transfer of a $360 million grant to the Gaza Strip.
The financial grant was approved as part of the ongoing support of Qatar for the Palestinian people.