Gaza Herald_ The head of the Gaza Petroleum Authority, Iyad Al-Shurbaji, affirmed that the gas crisis in the Gaza Strip is political rather than technical, stressing that the Israeli occupation is using civilians’ need for gas as a tool of pressure and blackmail.
Al-Shurbaji made the remarks during a meeting organized by the Palestinian Media Forum in Gaza on Thursday, attended by journalists and media figures and covered by Sanad News Agency.
He said the core problem and main challenge in managing the gas sector lies in the extremely limited quantities entering the Strip, which fall far short of meeting citizens’ needs. He described the crisis as political, not technical, emphasizing that the occupation is deliberately exploiting it as leverage.
Al-Shurbaji explained that before the war, Gaza’s monthly gas needs reached 8,000 tons. Currently, there is an 85% shortfall in the sector’s gas requirements. At present, only six trucks enter daily. During long periods of the war, gas was used for just two months in total.
He noted that some trucks heading to the crossing return empty, which forces the Authority to continually clarify the actual quantities entering Gaza.
According to Al-Shurbaji, the weekly average at the start of gas entry on October 12, following the ceasefire, amounted to a total of 861 trucks, equivalent to 7,000 tons over four months, less than the pre-war monthly requirement.
Even after recent improvements, incoming quantities do not exceed 20% of Gaza’s needs, leaving a massive deficit. He stressed that the default situation remains one of shortage due to the scarcity of supplies.
“Everything else, issues related to weight, stations, and filling, while important, remains secondary. The core problem is the deficit, which directly affects people’s daily needs,” Al-Shurbaji said.
He added that before the ceasefire, the average distribution cycle exceeded three and a half months, with gas quantities reaching 8 kilometers in the pipeline. After the ceasefire, the time frame has shortened somewhat.
He warned that fuel shortages have severely worsened living conditions for citizens, particularly those living in tents and damaged homes.
The Black Market
Addressing gas sales on the black market, Al-Shurbaji said it stems from multiple sources under current realities. Previously, each station received a share equivalent to 100 twelve-kilogram cylinders (1,200 kilograms) per delivery to cover operational costs not met by regular station profits.
This allocation was introduced to prevent raising the cylinder price for citizens to 100 shekels.
He added that over the past two months, this share was reduced to just 15 cylinders, prioritizing citizens’ needs, alongside gradual improvements in financial collection.
A second source, he explained, is the distributor’s allocation of one cylinder per filling. “Some citizens sell their cylinders partially or entirely. Others do not own a gas cylinder and are forced to sell part of their allocated gas,” he said.
He acknowledged the possibility of violations, particularly given that around half a million beneficiaries are registered in the system.
Al-Shurbaji explained that an electronic system governs distribution, placing the citizen at the center. Beneficiaries select a distributor based on their residential area, and the system automatically prioritizes older registrations geographically.
The system rotates allocations across different governorates with each filling cycle to ensure broader access.
He noted that 60% of the population benefiting from the system reside in southern Gaza, while 40% are registered in Gaza City and the north. Around 490,000 families benefit from the electronic system, with special consideration given to humanitarian cases that carry social entitlement.
Children of martyrs and deceased minors were added to the system despite initial technical restrictions, and efforts are underway to include elderly men and women as well.
Al-Shurbaji said destroyed stations were accommodated through a “hosting” system, whereby operational stations temporarily serve those that were destroyed. Currently, 14 out of 45 stations are operating, with 65% of stations destroyed during the aggression.
He emphasized that the system aims to ensure fair distribution so every citizen receives their due share, prioritizing the oldest registrations. At the beginning of resumed gas entry, waiting periods extended to three and a half months.
In recent weeks, truck numbers increased to 16 per week. However, he warned that the approaching holy month of Ramadan adds further pressure on citizens.
The Authority has implemented monitoring measures to prevent tampering with cylinder quantities at both distributor and station levels. Inspectors oversee weight and pricing at stations.
There are 700 distributors across Gaza, which creates technical challenges that are continually monitored. A complaints system operates through WhatsApp numbers, an online portal, and three physical offices in Gaza City, the central region, and Khan Younis.
The Fuel File
In a related context, Al-Shurbaji clarified that the fuel file is currently managed by international bodies, with no Palestinian entity involved in either supply or distribution.
Fuel distribution to institutions is overseen under international monitoring through a UN-affiliated organization.
He pointed out that some transportation and operational allocations received by station workers are diverted into the black market.
He also noted that traders have brought in limited quantities, somewhat easing the crisis.
Al-Shurbaji said that while the Petroleum Authority previously managed both gas and fuel, fuel administration is now under international control.
He reiterated that the occupation ultimately controls the entire scene, managing supplies in a drip-feed manner to achieve its objective of pressuring civilians.
He added that the Gaza power plant previously consumed 15 million liters, alongside another 15 million tons for the commercial sector. Currently, total incoming quantities range between one and three million, following a rationing policy that only partially meets the needs of humanitarian facilities, which continue to face chronic shortages affecting healthcare services, environmental services, and bakeries.
Al-Shurbaji called on the National Committee for Gaza Administration to prioritize this file despite the obstacles and challenges. He welcomed the committee members and expressed the Authority’s full readiness to cooperate, emphasizing that it is a professional body with no involvement in political disputes.
