LIMITED HUMANITARIAN SHIPMENTS CONTINUE TO MOVE

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001349 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: LIMITED HUMANITARIAN SHIPMENTS CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH GAZA CROSSINGS REF: JERUSALEM 1317 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Karni/al-Mintar, Kerem Shalom, and Sufa crossings were open to select humanitarian and commercial shipments June 28, as operations at the crossings remains ad hoc given the fluid security situation. ICRC transferred 17 sick and injured patients out of Gaza June 28. End summary. Crossings Operating Ad Hoc -------------- ¶2. (SBU) WFP Spokesperson Kirstie Campbell told Econoff that WFP shipped 10 truck loads of wheat-flour through Sufa crossing on June 28. According to Campbell, Kerem Shalom crossing opened on June 28 for 27 truck loads of commercial products, but no humanitarian shipments, per her sources at the Israeli side of Kerem Shalom. ¶3. (SBU) PIEDCO General Manager Nedal Ismail told Econoff that Karni/al-Mintar crossing opened for wheat shipments on June 28. Ismail said that PLO Chief Negotiator Erekat directed that two former crossing employees return to Karni/al-Mintar June 28 to manage the receipt of the wheat shipments. This is the first movement through Karni/al-Mintar since Hamas took control in Gaza. ICRC Meets With Haniyah -------------- ¶4. (SBU) ICRC Director Katharina Ritz told Econoff June 28 that she and her team met with former PM Haniyah on June 27 to discuss on-going ICRC operations in Gaza. Ritz said that she received Haniyah's assurances that Hamas would continue to support ICRC's operations in Gaza. Ritz said that 17 sick and injured patients were transferred from Gaza hospitals to those Israel, Jerusalem, and the West Bank on June 28. Increasing Through-Put At Kerem Shalom Crossing -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Current through-put at Kerem Shalom has been limited to an estimated 25 truckloads per day. WFP's Campbell told Econoff that through-put at the crossing could be increased to an estimated 100 trucks per day if the paved surface where Palestinians pick-up cargo was expanded from 100 to 400 square meters, creating additional space to load more trucks. WALLES