MGGZ01 - JERUSALEM AUGUST 2 SITREP

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 003347 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS, USAID FOR KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/02/2016 TAGS: PREL ASEC CASC KPAL KWBG PHUM SUBJECT: MGGZ01 - JERUSALEM AUGUST 2 SITREP Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) Post is coordinating with Embassies Tel Aviv and Amman to facilitate the departure from Gaza on August 3 of approximately 80 Americans and 10 PD grantees via the Erez crossing and onward to Jordan. ¶2. (SBU) IDF shelling and rocket fire into northern and southern Gaza on August 1 resulted in two Palestinian deaths, both civilians, including a teenager. Two others were injured in the gunfire. A third Palestinian civilian died from wounds received during Israeli shelling on July 27. IDF units are operating on August 2 in the vicinity of Gaza's International Airport. Sporadic clashes are reported with one Palestinian injury from Israeli tank fire. Israeli naval units fired rockets overnight August 1-2 at suspected weapons storehouses along the Gaza coastline. ¶3. (SBU) Palestinian militants launched two Qassam rockets the morning of August 2 from northern Gaza in the direction of Ashkelon. One rocket hit the southern industrial zone in Ashkelon, injuring at least one Israeli. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) claimed responsibility for the rocket fire. The IDF responded to the rocket fire by shelling parts of northern Gaza. At least six Qassam rockets were fired into Israel on August 1. ¶4. (C) Palestinian gunmen shot and killed a senior Preventive Security Organization (PSO) officer on August 2 as he traveled in his vehicle near Khan Younis. The PSO officer, Saqer Anbar, was the coordinator of Israeli Affairs within the PSO. The killing of Anbar follows the July 31 shooting of a senior Hamas official, and appears part of a regular pattern of reprisals and counter-reprisals between Hamas and Fatah gunmen on the streets of Gaza. ¶5. (SBU) In the West Bank, the IDF conducted raids the morning of August 2 into Jenin and Qabatiyah village in the northern West Bank, resulting in reported injuries to two Palestinian gunmen. There were no reported arrests. ¶6. (SBU) Palestinians demonstrated in Gaza City, Ramallah, Nablus, and Hebron on August 1 to protest Israeli military action in Gaza and Lebanon. Demonstrators carried Hezbollah flags and pictures of Hezbollah leader Shaykh Nasrallah. In the Nablus and Hebron demonstrations, U.S. and Israeli flags were set on fire by protesters. -------------- Humanitarian Update -------------- ¶7. (SBU) The Rafah crossing remains closed as of August 2. Both the Karni/al-Mintar and Nahal Oz crossings are operational on August 2. The Karni/al-Mintar and Nahal Oz crossings were open August 1, according to USAID Gaza-based staff. ¶8. (SBU) Nine of ten electricity feeder lines from Israel into Gaza are operational on August 2. One of the two northern Gaza feeder lines is down, according to USAID Gaza-based staff. WALLES