RAMALLAH, West Bank — Israeli Minister of Energy Yuval Steinitz said Jan. 16 that talks are ongoing between the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority (PA) to supply the PA with natural gas.

The Turkish Anadolu Agency quoted Steinitz as saying during his participation in the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum in Egypt that talks with the Palestinians are also covering the development of the Gaza Marine gas field facing the Gaza shores on the Mediterranean.

In response to Steinitz’s statements, head of the Palestinian delegation participating in the forum and Chairman of the Palestine Investment Fund (PIF) Mohammad Mustafa said during the forum, “Talk about the PA importing Israeli gas is inaccurate,” without giving further clarification.

He added, “The Palestinian government is making efforts to resolve the electricity crisis in Gaza by shifting the reliance of the power production station in the Gaza Strip on natural gas [from Israel] instead of diesel.” He explained that there is a difference between the government-led efforts to resolve the electricity crisis in Gaza and developing the Gaza Marine field, implying that talks with Israel aim to solve Gaza’s power crisis — although he did not say it explicitly.