LIMITED MOVEMENT AT GAZA CROSSINGS

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001482 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR WILLIAMS/SHAMPAINE/BELRADE; 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 KPAL KWBG PGOV PHUM SUBJECT: LIMITED MOVEMENT AT GAZA CROSSINGS ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Sufa crossing and Nahal Oz fuel transfer station were open on July 17, the Karni/al-Mintar, Kerem Shalom, and Rafah crossings were closed. WFP plans to deliver eight truck loads of wheat flour per day to Gaza July 17-22 through Sufa, while ICRC transferred 25 patients from Gaza hospitals to those in Israel on July 17. Roughly 90 percent of all shipments into Gaza over that last month have been commercial food shipments, and the remaining 10 percent humanitarian, according to OCHA. End summary. Sufa Crossing And Nahal Oz Open; Limited Movement At Erez Crossing -------------- ¶2. (SBU) WFP Project Manager Katharina Galluzzi told Econoff that WFP planned to deliver eight truck loads of wheat flour each day from July 17-22 via the Sufa crossing, which is open. ICRC Country Director Katharina Ritz told Econoff that her organization facilitated the transfer of 20 Gaza medical patients to Israeli hospitals via the Erez crossing on July ¶17. Gaza-based OCHA representative Hamada al-Bayari told EconOff July 17 that Nahal Oz fuel transfer station is open. Karni/al-Mintar, Kerem Shalom And Rafah Crossings Closed -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Kerem Shalom, Karni/al-Mintar, and Rafah crossings were closed July 17. Al-Bayari said that Karni/al-Mintar and Kerem Shalom crossings have been closed since July 12. He noted that there are mounting fears among Gazans of the continued closure of the major crossings. Most Shipments Into Gaza Have Been Commercial -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Al-Bayari said that roughly 10 percent of the 2,257 truck loads of goods that entered Gaza from June 19 - July 15 were humanitarian and the remaining 90 percent were commercial food shipments, according to OCHA Gaza statistics. WALLES