SIS Chairman: Gas deal is strictly commercial with no political dimensions

alhadath – cairo

Diaa Rashwan: The agreement serves a clear strategic interest for Egypt by strengthening its position as the sole regional hub for gas trading in the Eastern Mediterranean, leveraging advanced infrastructure and substantial investments

Chairman of the State Information Service (SIS) Diaa Rashwan affirmed that reports circulated by certain media outlets and on social media regarding the gas deal between Egypt and Israel are inaccurate in their implications. The agreement in question is a purely commercial transaction concluded exclusively on the basis of economic and investment considerations and does not involve any political dimensions or understandings whatsoever.

He explained that the deal is a commercial contract governed by market rules and international investment mechanisms, and is entirely removed from any political interpretation or utilization.

Rashwan emphasized that the parties to the agreement are well-established international energy companies with long-standing experience in the sector, including the U.S.-based company Chevron, in addition to Egyptian companies specialized in the receipt, transportation, and trading of natural gas. He stressed that these contracts were concluded without any direct government intervention.

He further noted that the agreement falls within the framework of a clear strategic interest for Egypt, namely reinforcing its position as the only regional gas trading hub in the Eastern Mediterranean. This is underpinned by Egypt’s advanced infrastructure and major investments in liquefaction plants and gas transportation networks, ensuring the sustainable operation of these assets and maximizing their economic value.

SIS Chairman added that Egypt possesses an integrated and highly developed natural gas infrastructure, enabling it to diversify gas supply sources through multiple routes and partners without exposure to pressure or constraints. This provides Egypt with broad room for maneuver and flexibility in managing the sector. Such infrastructure includes liquefaction facilities, transportation networks, and storage and trading capabilities, thereby reinforcing the state’s capacity to make economic decisions strictly in line with its national interests.

In this context, Rashwan cautioned against being influenced by propaganda or hostile media campaigns that seek to politicize a purely commercial agreement, stressing that the timing of the announcement does not alter the fact that the deal is the outcome of commercial negotiations concluded earlier in accordance with market principles.

He concluded by affirming unequivocally that Egypt’s position on the Palestinian cause is firm and unwavering. It is based on supporting the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, rejecting forced displacement, and adhering to the two-state solution. He underscored that Egyptian action and diplomacy played a decisive role in thwarting displacement plans and in advancing a pathway for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, as reflected in the outcomes of the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit—demonstrating the consistency of Egypt’s political and moral stance.