GAZA HOSPITALS STRUGGLE TO SERVE PUBLIC; JORDAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001296 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR WILLIAMS/SHAMPAINE/BELGRADE; PRM FOR PDAS GREENE AND PRM/ANE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/WATERS; TREASURY FOR SZUBIN/LOEFFLER/NUGENT/HIRSON; BRUSSELS FOR LERNER; PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN KPAL KWBG PGOV PHUM SUBJECT: GAZA HOSPITALS STRUGGLE TO SERVE PUBLIC; JORDAN DELIVERS FOOD SHIPMENTS REF: JERUSALEM 1274 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Critical HEALTH care assistance is being supplied to Gaza hospitals, including a truck load of dialysis equipment funded by USAID. ICRC and other international organizations have resumed their work in Gaza. Twenty-one truck loads of food aid were shipped into Gaza June 21. Hospital Equipment Needs Spare Parts; Al Quds Hospital Not Operational -------------- ¶2. (SBU) ICRC Chief of Mission Katharina Ritz, who had just returned from Gaza June 22, told Econoff June 22 that Gaza hospitals' supply of medicine is sufficient for the next week. However, she added that laboratory machines and medical equipment have been breaking down recently due to the lack of spare parts and maintenance. Gaza-based WHO National Health officer Mahmoud Daher told Econoff June 22 that, due to a lack of spare parts normally shipped from Israel, only one of the three Computed Tomography (CT) scanners in Gaza is operational. ¶3. (SBU) Ritz said, as of June 22, Al Quds hospital remains closed. She said that on June 14-15 most Al Quds patients were transferred to Dar al-Shifa Hospital, as Al Quds Hospital became a site of intense fighting. Several patients went home for treatment in fear of the Hamas gunmen posted at Dar al-Shifa. Al Quds Hospital's shattered windows, broken doors, and blown electrical systems are all being repaired, according to Ritz. ICRC Delivers Team of Surgeons; USAID Delivers Dialysis Items -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Ritz said that a four-person ICRC surgical team is scheduled to arrive in Gaza June 23 to assist with operations in Gaza City's Dar al-Shifa Hospital. The two orthopedic surgeons (one Dutch, the other Italian),the Swiss anesthesiologist and the Finnish nurse are scheduled to begin work June 24. ICRC delivered two truckloads of "war-wound" kits - containing surgical kits, medical tools, gauze, and bandages - through Kerem Shalom June 21, along with a shipment of antibiotics through Erez crossing. ICRC purchased 20,000 liters of diesel fuel at Nahal Oz fuel transfer station June 21 and delivered them to 17 public water pumps and hospital generators throughout Gaza. ¶5. (SBU) WHO's Daher said that five injured Gazans were transported by ICRC through Erez to Israeli hospitals June 21 and two were scheduled for June 22. In comparison, ICRC had transported an average of 20 Gazans per day to Israeli hospitals in the months prior to the recent violence, according to Daher. Thirty-five American citizens also departed through Erez in a Consulate-organized evacuation on June 21 (septel). ¶6. (SBU) USAID staff reported that a truck load of dialysis items are being shipped through Kerem Shalom June 22 under AID's Emergency Medical Assistance Program (EMAP). These items will be distributed by NGO CARE international to MOH hospitals. Food Arrives -------------- ¶7. (SBU) WFP Spokesperson Kirstie Campbell told Econoff June 22 that WFP had delivered this week a total of 15 truck loads of food through Kerem Shalom crossing to Gaza - seven June 19 and eight June 20. WFP plans to ship 10 truck loads of aid through Kerem Shalom each work day, beginning June 24, per an agreement made this week between PLO Chief Negotiator Sa'eb Erekat and COGATT. Campbell mentioned that the IDF requested June 21 that WFP begin shipping its humanitarian aid through Sufa crossing, instead of Kerem Shalom. Campbell did not know whey the IDF made this request, but she added that WFP is determined at this point to ship through Kerem Shalom. Campbell confirmed that the Palestinian Red Crescent Society shipped 21 trucks of food aid and soap supplied by Jordan JERUSALEM 00001296 002 OF 002 through Kerem Shalom on June 21. ¶8. (SBU) UNRWA Gaza Director John Ging told Poloff June 22 that his organization has two more weeks of food supplies in Gaza and added that UNRWA has 104 containers of food and other humanitarian supplies at Ashdod port that they would like to move to Gaza. Prices Hold; Crossings Information -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Daher said that Gaza market prices have remained the same June 20-22 - flour and sugar prices continue to be 40 percent higher than normal. As major food shipments have recently arrived, Gazans are somewhat less concerned about short-term food supplies. Dairy items and fruits are in limited supply. Fish is available and priced cheaper than normal as no fish has been exported since June 11. Daher said that the continued closure of Karni/al-Mintar crossing continues to greatly limit humanitarian aid to Gazans. ¶10. (SBU) Nahal Oz fuel transfer station is open June 22, while Karni/al-Mintar and Sufa are closed. Kerem Shalom is open to humanitarian shipments. Erez continues to be closed to all Palestinians, except to two ICRC-sponsored medical cases June 22. WALLES