An Israeli strike in Gaza City
Israel-Hamas war clouds energy prospects
The threat of a big disruption to energy trade in the Middle East appears to be receding, but the fog of war is casting doubt on projects in the region
The war in Gaza may still escalate beyond the borders of Israel and the Palestinian territories and cause major energy disruptions, but the likelihood of this appeared to have receded by early December as a ceasefire came and went and hostilities remained largely constrained to the Gaza Strip and surrounding areas. Instead, experts say, different tracks of negotiations are picking up, with the entire Middle East in flux and Qatar’s status in particular elevated—as both an energy powerhouse and a geopolitical deal maker. Global oil and gas prices spiked immediately after the surprise attack by Hamas on 7 October, which claimed more than 1,200 Israeli lives and disrupted regional energy trade.
Also in this section
14 April 2026
The GECF has warned it may revise its projections for demand this year downwards in light of conflict in the Middle East, although it maintains its forecasts for 2027 and onwards
13 April 2026
Petroleum Economist analysis highlights sharp shift from crude oversupply to market deficit, with Iraq and Kuwait badly affected and key producers Saudi Arabia and the UAE also seeing output sharply lower
13 April 2026
Turkmenistan is moving ahead with a modest expansion of the giant Galkynysh field to sustain gas deliveries abroad, but persistent delays to other key pipeline projects and geopolitical risks continue to constrain its export ambitions
13 April 2026
Expensive electricity has forced out swathes of energy-intensive industry and now threatens the country’s ability to attract future investment in datacentres and the digital economy
