MGGZ01 - ISRAELI GAZA INCURSION - JERUSALEM JULY

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 002898

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/12/2016
TAGS: PREL ASEC CASC KPAL KWBG PHUM
SUBJECT: MGGZ01 - ISRAELI GAZA INCURSION - JERUSALEM JULY
12 SITREP

REF: USDAO TEL AVIV 111615Z JUL 06 IIR 6 849 0475

06/GAZA STRIP RECCE - 11 JULY 2006

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

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Summary
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1. (C) IDF forces reportedly moved through the central
section of Gaza on July 12, dividing the Gaza Strip in two.
An IDF airstrike on a house near Gaza City killed seven
Palestinians and wounded several others, possibly including
Hamas military wing leader Mohammed Deif. Initial reports
regarding the mission of two PLO envoys in Damascus indicate
little progress in their efforts to end the crisis. Post has
a list of 128 American citizens requesting assistance in
leaving Gaza and is working to determine a date for their
departure. Crossings remain closed, other than the Nahal Oz
fuel transfer point and Karni, which opened at 3:30 pm on
July 12. 15 truckloads of goods, including shipments for the
ICRC and WFP, were apparently able to cross via Erez on July

11. Khan Younis is reported to have power for eight hours
per day and Gaza City for six hours per day.

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Military Developments
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2. (C) A combined IDF force of infantry, armor, and
engineering personnel moved west from the Kissufim checkpoint
to the area south of Deir Balah on July 12, effectively
dividing the Gaza strip in two. The size of the IDF force
and how long it will be in position are as yet unclear


3. (SBU) IAF aircraft on July 12 struck a house in Sheikh
Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City, killing seven Palestinians
and possibly wounding Hamas military wing head Mohammed Deif.
The IDF continued airstrikes in other sections of Gaza,
killing and wounding a number of Palestinians.


4. (SBU) A total of six Qassam rocket launches were reported:
two toward Ashkelon and four toward the western Negev. No
injuries or damage was reported. In the West Bank, the
al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed to have fired a rocket at
the settlement of Ali Zahav, in the northern West Bank. The
IDF has not confirmed the attack. IDF raids continued in the
West Bank.

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Political Developments
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5. (C) President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen),speaking during a
trip to Amman in which he met with King Abdullah and Prime
Minister Marouf al-Bakhit, charged the IDF with "targeting
civilians and worsening Palestinian hardship." A large number
of long-time Fatah figures - including Central Committee
Member Hani al-Hasan, former PR Ahmed Qurei (Abu Ala'a),and
former foreign minister and UN representative Nasser al-Kidwa
- met on July 12 in the President's office to express their

support for Abu Mazen and to come up with recommendations to
deal with the current crisis.


6. (C) PLO Envoys Tayser Khaled and Abdullah Hourani,
continuing their mission in Damascus, reportedly met with
deputy Hamas political bureau chief Mousa Abu Marzouk, DFLP
leader Nayef Hawatmeh, PFLP GC leader Ahmad Jibril, and
representatives of the Syrian Ba'ath party on July 11. Fatah
sources told political specialist that political bureau chief
Khaled Mishal refused to meet with them. The two envoys are
reportedly seeking to meet with Syrian Vice President Farouq
al-Shara. Septel will provide more background on the envoys
and their mission.

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AMCIT Update
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7. (C) Post now has a list of 128 Americans seeking
assistance in leaving Gaza. Post is working on finalizing the
list and in arranging a date for another movement of American
citizens out of Gaza.

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Humanitarian Update
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8. (SBU) Crossings: The Kerem Shalom and Sufa crossings

remain closed. The Rafah passenger crossing remains closed.
The Karni/al-Mintar commercial crossing, closed since July 6,
reportedly opened at 3:30 pm on July 12. USAID staff learned
from the Coordinator for Government Activities in the
Territories (COGAT) that 15 trucks of basic commodities were
imported through the Erez/Beit Hanoun crossing July 11,
including basic food commodities for the World Food Program
and two trucks of medical supplies for the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The Nahal Oz fuel
transfer station is operational on July 12. USAID Gaza-based
field staff reported the following amounts of fuel were
delivered into Gaza July 11:

-- 300,000 liters of diesel;
-- 120 tons of cooking gas.

(Notes: all diesel fuel went to Gaza hospitals; no incoming
gasoline was reported.)


9. (SBU) Electricity: According to USAID Gaza-based field
staff, three of the ten medium-tension electricity feeder
lines into Gaza are damaged and not currently operational.
As a result, Khan Younis only has power for eight hours per
day and Gaza City for only six hours per day.
WALLES