Israel Preparing to Connect Karish Gas Field to its Network

Energean’s drill ship begins drilling at the Karish natural gas field (Reuters)
Energean’s drill ship begins drilling at the Karish natural gas field (Reuters)
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Israel Preparing to Connect Karish Gas Field to its Network

Energean’s drill ship begins drilling at the Karish natural gas field (Reuters)
Energean’s drill ship begins drilling at the Karish natural gas field (Reuters)

Israel's energy ministry said Friday it was set to conduct tests on a maritime field claimed in part by Lebanon, ahead of connecting it to the Jewish state's gas network.

The ministry "was preparing to connect the Karish reservoir to the Israeli system," a statement said.

The gas field has been licensed to London-listed company Energean, AFP said.

"As part of the next stage of the project, planned for the upcoming days, the rig and natural transmission system from the rig to the national network will be tested," the statement added.

Officials told AFP the test would be conducted by transferring gas from Israel to the rig.

The ministry announcement comes less than 10 days after Energean announced it was "on track to deliver (the) first gas from the Karish development project within weeks."

Israel says the Karish field is located entirely within its exclusive economic zone, but Lebanon insists that part of the field falls within its own waters. 

The United States has mediated the dispute, which escalated in early June when Energean brought a production vessel into the field.

Last Friday, US mediator Amos Hochstein noted "progress" in the talks, but said that "still more work needs to be done."

Lebanon and Israel, whose border is patrolled by the United Nations, have no diplomatic relations.

They had resumed maritime border negotiations in 2020, but the process was stalled by Beirut's claim that the map used by the United Nations in the talks needed modifying.

Lebanon initially demanded 860 square kilometers (330 square miles) in the disputed maritime area but then asked for an additional 1,430 square kilometers, including part of the Karish field.

Israel claims the field lies in its waters and is not part of the disputed area subject to ongoing negotiations.

The Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, which launched drones towards the Karish gas field in July, had threatened attacks if Israel proceeds with gas extraction in the disputed area.

On Thursday, Israel's national security advisor Eyal Hulata addressed Hezbollah's threats, noting an agreement to export gas to energy-starved Europe.

"Israel will not be deterred by these threats and continue to realize its energetic interests, activate Karish and fulfil the important contracts it signed, including with Egypt and the EU," he said at a conference at Israel's Reichman University in Herzliya.



US State Department Approves $30 Million in Funding for Gaza Humanitarian Foundation

 Palestinians carry humanitarian aid packages near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution center operated by the US-backed organization in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, June 26, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians carry humanitarian aid packages near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution center operated by the US-backed organization in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, June 26, 2025. (AP)
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US State Department Approves $30 Million in Funding for Gaza Humanitarian Foundation

 Palestinians carry humanitarian aid packages near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution center operated by the US-backed organization in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, June 26, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians carry humanitarian aid packages near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution center operated by the US-backed organization in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, June 26, 2025. (AP)

The US State Department has approved $30 million in funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the State Department said on Thursday, calling on other countries to also support the controversial group delivering aid in war-torn Gaza.

"This support is simply the latest iteration of President Trump's and Secretary Rubio's pursuit of peace in the region," State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott told reporters at a regular news briefing.

Reuters was first to report the move earlier this week.

Washington has long backed the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation diplomatically, but this is the first known US government financial contribution to the organization, which uses private for-profit US military and logistics firms to transport aid into the Palestinian enclave for distribution at so-called secure sites.

Since Israel lifted an 11-week aid blockade on Gaza on May 19, allowing limited UN deliveries to resume, the United Nations says more than 400 Palestinians have been killed seeking aid from both the UN and GHF operations.

Earlier this month, GHF halted aid deliveries for a day as it pressed Israel to boost civilian safety near its distribution sites after dozens of Palestinians seeking aid were killed. It says there have been no incidents at its sites.

The foundation’s executive director, Johnnie Moore, an evangelical preacher who was a White House adviser in the first Trump administration, said in a post on X on Thursday that the group has delivered more than 46 million meals to Gazans since it began its operations in May.

Some US officials opposed giving any US funds to the foundation over concerns about violence near aid distribution sites, the GHF's inexperience and the involvement of the for-profit US logistics and private military firms, four sources told Reuters earlier this week.

The United States could approve additional monthly grants of $30 million for the GHF, two sources said, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity.

In approving the US funding for the GHF, the sources said the State Department exempted the foundation, which has not publicly disclosed its finances, from an audit usually required for groups receiving USAID grants for the first time.

There is an acute shortage of food and other basic supplies after the nearly two-year military campaign by Israel that has displaced most of Gaza's two million inhabitants.