MGGZ01 - ISRAELI GAZA INCURSION - JERUSALEM JUNE

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 002696

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/LOGERFO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/28/2016
TAGS: PREL ASEC CASC KPAL KWBG
SUBJECT: MGGZ01 - ISRAELI GAZA INCURSION - JERUSALEM JUNE
28 1800 SITREP

REF: JERUSALEM 2680

Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles. Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d).

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Summary
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1. (C) The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) held a press
conference in which they displayed a copy of the ID card of
missing Israeli settler Eliyahu Asheri and threatened to kill
him if IDF forces did not leave Gaza. The al-Aqsa Martyrs'
Brigades has threatened additional kidnappings and rocket
firing into West Bank settlements if Israeli military forces
do not pull back from Gaza. IAF aircraft reportedly
conducted additional strikes in Northern Gaza and near Rafah.
An explosion occurred in a Palestinian house in Khan Younis,
killing two, in an apparent premature detonation of a device
intended for use against the IDF. President Abbas condemned
Israelis attacks against bridges and the Gaza power plant,
terming them "collective punishment." Palestinian power
providers have begun to ration electricity, and there are
concerns about the water supply given shortages of
electricity to power pumps and damage to water lines.

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Kidnapping Updates
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2. (C) The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) held a news
conference during the afternoon of June 28 in which they
displayed the national ID card of Eliyahu Pinchas Asheri, ID
# 200515773, the 18-year old settler reportedly kidnapped
during the evening of June 25. The PRC provided no proof
that he is alive, but reiterated an earlier threat to kill
Asheri if Israel did not pull IDF forces out of the Gaza
Strip. PRC Spokesman Abu Abir said that Asheri would be
killed on camera. Separately, a spokesman of the al-Aqsa
Martyrs' Brigades in the West Bank threatened further
kidnappings in the West Bank and the firing of rockets into
West Bank settlements if Israeli military operations in Gaza
continue.


3. (C) There are no new developments regarding missing IDF
Corporal Gilad Shalit. Deputy Prime Minister Nasser
al-Shaer, a Hamas official, said in a news conference in
Ramallah that Shalit is not in the hands of the PA
government. He did not provide any details about Shalit,
saying he had no information.

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IDF Moves
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4. (C) Israeli aircraft are reported to have fired missiles
at areas in the northern Gaza Strip. Israeli aircraft also
reportedly fired on a location variously described as a
training camp/rocket factory/empty house outside Rafah.

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"Work Accident"
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5. (C) An explosion occurred inside a house in Khan Younis in
the southern Gaza Strip, killing two Palestinians and
wounding several others. Initial assessments are that the
explosion was caused by the premature explosion of a bomb
intended for use against the IDF. PA security sources
informed political specialist that militants are still
placing explosives in the northern and eastern parts of the
Gaza strip.

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Impact of Infrastructure Attacks
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6. (C) President Mahmoud Abbas, in a statement released by
his office, called the Israeli attacks against bridges and
the Gaza power plant "collective punishment and crimes
against humanity." Deputy Prime Minister al-Shaer accused
the Israeli government of acting above international law and
of cutting off 750,000 Palestinians from power and water.


7. (C) According to Gaza-based staff, 75 percent of the Gaza
Strip is currently without electricity, including at least
one-third of Gaza City, the Deir el-Balah areas, Rafah City,
and Khan Younis. The PA-owned and operated Gaza Electrical
Company (GEC),the company responsible for power
distribution, plans to rotate power through its distribution

system in order to allow for an average transmission of
electricity of six hours per day in each area of the Gaza
Strip.


8. (C) Health sector: 75 percent of public and private
primary healthcare clinics have generators. All UNRWA
primary healthcare clinics have generators because they
handle immunizations and vaccine storage.


9. (C) Staff of USAID contractor DAI estimate that water
shortages will occur within 48 hours if electricity is not
restored. Municipal water systems in Gaza require
electricity to operate water pumps. Electricity is also
needed to pump water from wells and from water network lines
to roof-top tanks on apartment buildings. Hospitals are
estimated to have enough water for one week.
WALLES